


What We Do In The Shadows

by Denebola_Leo



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, And also an exciteable puppy, As if vampires can't be scary and fun, Assassins and their wares, But not that shitty shit that shouldn't be named, Cloud is a bit of a brat, F/M, I just wanted to have fun with an underused and overly serious subject, Not really evil, So I guess there's some angst in there but it's not really the focus, Some folklore themes, Some old movie themes too, Strange romance is in the air, There will be no sparkling, Tifa is a bit stubborn and Cloud gets frustrated, Zack is still a puppy, but hey gotta kill to live, vampire hunter!Tifa, vampire!Cloud, vampire!Zack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-05-09 17:51:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 77,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14720802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Denebola_Leo/pseuds/Denebola_Leo
Summary: After receiving letters from her deceased best friend, Tifa becomes a vampire hunter in the hopes of freeing him from the clutches of undeath in the city state of Midgar.  Will she succeed in her personal mission, or be dragged into more than she bargained for?





	1. Distracted Prey

**Author's Note:**

> I'm bring this over to AO3. It's a reboot of a story that was kinda flimsy but had good ideas, so I decided to keep many elements but make a more solid story. I'd like to thank Emerial very much for beta reading and being critical and to the point. Really don't know quite how it ends, but I wanted to write out this fun romp. I think vampires are too boring these days. I want ones with more folklore on them, OP monsters with several flaws to help the living out. I didn't want them subsisting on animal blood or energy, that's not ambiguous. I wanted it to have a tragic angle to it. 
> 
> Anyway, have fun reading my shit as always. Or tell me it's shit idgaf fight me.

Tifa stood outside the mausoleum, reading the name etched in cold stone as dusk neared in the quiet graveyard that should hold her dear friend's body. Her heart twinged at the sight of that name after so many years, the man gone from their hometown and dead at the hands of night wraiths that occasionally roamed into the city from the bleak plain used in an ancient war outside the city-state of Midgar. That, and the events that followed took her down the path of a vampire hunter, a member of a secretive guild laughed at in the modern cities of Gaia. The woman thought back to all that had happened to her before this night.

Her childhood friend had come to this city seven years ago in the hopes of becoming a great warrior in their army, a necessity with the monster plagued area surrounding Midgar. Tifa figured he would return someday and perhaps be one of Nibelheim's guards after his military stint like others before him that came from the country. They had been close in secret, her father disapproving of their friendship while his mother welcomed it; the spiky haired boy had precious few he could call friend in that town.

Bastard children found respect to be a hard earned commodity.

"Cloud..." Tifa whispered as she reminisced. He left and died and then to her shock, he contacted her and his mother again. His mother had been beside herself with grief at mention of his death as he saved civilians from the night time attack five years ago, being unable to attend the funeral because of the cost and distance. Tifa, too, had been wracked with sorrow at the notification, holding on to the small gift he sent with his last letter; a silver wolf ring she kept around her neck on a leather band. When the letters from him continued after a short pause, letters that now smelled of grave dirt, it chilled both women to the bone. He couldn't come back yet, but he would when he could afford the trip. He promised he would see them again.

Tifa remembered immediately going to her martial arts instructor, the man well versed in vampire lore. As she had been such a talented student as it was, Zangan had inducted her into the ancient guild that slayed the unholy terrors of the night to keep her safe from her childhood friend after he finally convinced her of Cloud's fate. He was truly sorry that such a heroic person would become such a thing as a vampire, but he explained that no one was immune to the curse of undeath. He would look and sound the same, but it would not be the same soul she remembered in control of that body. Tifa couldn't stand the thought of someone she loved turned and twisted into a blood drinking monster.

Four years later and she stood as a rookie member, the woman assisting Zangan on a mission to destroy one of the creatures in a village not too far away; she came back to Nibelheim with a new found respect and disgust for the monsters after narrowly escaping its clutches. She kept it secret from her father before leaving for Midgar weeks later; he would not have approved of her new vocation. Neither did her friend's mother when she found out, the woman pleading with Tifa. Her son wasn't a vampire, he was too sweet a boy, too heroic a man to meet that end. It was just a mistake on the part of the papers, like her son had said in a letter. The letters would not come as often as they had in the past, but came they did. Sometimes one would show up at Tifa's door, even though she never replied back. Always mundane and always hoping to hear back from her, the demon torturing her every time the blasted things reached her. Cloud's mother, however, would write back, but of what Tifa didn't know.

Tifa awoke the night before she was to leave the village to the smell of smoke and orange lights dancing upon her walls, and when she dashed to her window the boy's house was being consumed in a raging inferno; soon the neighbors worked to put it out with what they had. Hours later it was out, the remains of her childhood friend's mother holding a singed wooden box of her son's possessions from Midgar.

The new hunter spirited it away with her before she traveled towards the great city of lights, having not dared open it yet. Tifa wasn't really sure why she even took it, she knew her father would be upset with her absence let alone her thievery. But now she had a base in the cathedral of the seventh sector of the city and several exterminations under her belt with the aid of others, and the occasional hunt of undead creatures that would cause trouble in the unseen corners of Midgar.

Snapping out of her reverie, Tifa's hand slipped over the sacred dagger in her hand, ready to release her dearest friend from undead misery, and her other over the ring covered by her jacket. She had mere minutes before the vampires of the city would awake from their death-like slumber, and her target possibly laid here; it had taken her almost her entire stay in Midgar to track down his particular burial spot out of so many. It was as good a start as any, and even if he had moved on it could be used when he couldn't use his new den. She moved forward, ignoring the anguish in her heart as it poured out from the proverbial open wound.

It was small, cold and light-less inside, made of smooth grey stone with a simple coffin in the back where sunlight would not reach. The stone was slightly damp to the touch when her hand came to rest upon a wall, the stone plain and undecorated. Tifa activated her light materia, the orb spilling soft white light into the tomb. Moving towards the coffin she hesitated a moment as she looked it over, hands lightly brushing the polished top. _'This is what they buried you in.'_ A shaky sigh passed her lips, then Tifa undid the clamp to see what lay inside.

 _'No...'_ It wasn't him. This was a victim he must have stowed away in a hurry, the skin of the male stark white and his jugular torn open. She ignored the images rushing into her head as she closed the coffin back up, and began wondering what to do. If she waited and followed him at a safe distance, she could perhaps find his lair that way. _'But if he recognizes me...'_

She could be in more danger than she thought.

Tifa left as the last glow of the sun settled beneath the horizon, pulling up the hood of her jacket and tucking her hair inside. No, he wouldn't be on alert for her if he didn't know she was there in the first place. Just another citizen of the city, and it had been seven years. While his head of spiky blonde hair and expressive blue eyes could be considered unique, her own dark hair and ruby eyes had been sported by others around. That is, if he still kept the look. She mentally shrugged and quietly watched from a spot near one of the entrances; the area having just enough foot traffic at that hour where she wouldn't look suspicious.

The vampire hunter waited for what seemed to be half an hour by her reckoning before she caught a glimpse of her target, her heart jumping into her throat. He looked almost exactly the same as she remembered him if but slightly taller and his skin deathly pale. His clothes were dour and black, one side covered in black fabric as if wearing half a robe. But that was all she could properly make out, that and his large sword hanging lazily from his back. He took no notice of her or anyone else as he went about his business, silently gliding into the cemetery without so much as a glance upward. She bit her lip; the hunt for his lair would be on.

"Tifa! What are you doing in such a glum place like this?"

The woman snapped her head towards the source of the voice, hoping against hope her target hadn't heard the woman chime her name. "I could ask the same thing, Aerith," she said as she tried to keep the anxiousness in her voice down.

The green eyed woman smiled, looking up at the sky and then back at her friend. "I have a date tonight, and I was passing through when I saw you." She looked the part, wearing a casual white dress with sky blue trim. A soft white cowl laid on her shoulders, keeping away the slight chill of the air.

"Oh. I was just taking an evening walk." Tifa shrugged, then took a quick glance at her target; he was still moving away from their position and into the growing darkness. 'Maybe he didn't hear her after all.'

Aerith nodded, then glanced at the cemetery. "I get a lot of customers that want bouquets for resting loved ones. You'd think it would just be for lovers, or celebration. But remembrance is almost as big a chunk of my business as hot dates and attempts at making up for a mistake."

"Hm. There's a lot of death in the world, isn't there?"

"Yeah." The flower girl turned back to Tifa, cocking her head slightly as she smiled. "A lot of people left behind, too." She turned away, waving. "I'm gonna be late at this rate. See you later, Tifa!"

"Good night, Aerith!" Tifa turned back towards her target, the vampire already gone; at the very least she knew where he might hide during the day and the direction in which he came. Part of her wanted to reenter the cemetery and see if he was in the mausoleum; the vampire hunter immediately remembered the large broadsword on his back. It would be hard to use in a cramped spot like that, but he had other powers at his disposal as well. Not worth the risk, even if it was tempting.

Walking off towards sector seven and home she watched the streets for danger, though the risk was generally low in the early evening or relegated to the slums of the sixth sector of the round city. Still, her time in Midgar and the jobs her hidden guild had given her showed her a part of the underbelly of the city-state. Where ever there was life there were creatures to feed on it, from the craftiest vampire to the sewer dwelling ghouls who in earlier centuries would roam battlefields and mass graves. There were always victims, but in a place with millions of souls a handful of missing persons wasn't something the average person worried about.

Her night wasn't finished, but just beginning. Vampire hunters were partially nocturnal, waking in the afternoon and sleeping sometime before sunrise. She would make an early lunch and report to the cathedral in a search for any information or jobs from desperate citizens. Cloud, he was a personal mission; no one's blade or stake belonged in his chest but hers, it was her duty to him. She would go back tomorrow and scout the area in an effort to find his lair, now that she had some idea of where he was possibly located.

 _'Almost home...I wonder if this alley would make a good shortcut? I skipped breakfast...'_ She moved towards the shady street and then stopped herself, blinking. It's not that much further to go, she thought. Hurrying back off towards her home she continued to look out until she finally made it through her front door with a sigh. She wondered back to that strange thought earlier as she made her lunch; had she been followed, had he heard Aerith call out her name?

There wasn't much she could do, if that were the case. Tifa wasn't even sure if they were in earshot of the vampire. She took a glance outside, her porch and the surrounding street deserted. Still, she felt an uneasiness in her gut that told her something was amiss. Grasping some of her materia and socketing it into her right fighting glove, she headed back out into the night and towards the cathedral several blocks away.

She looked about her surroundings, watching and waiting for just about anything at this point. Occasionally she would hear the sound of flickering wings nearby, putting her on edge. Still, nothing came bursting out of the shadows at her; part of her wished something would to break the tension she felt. Walking into the plaza of the large stone-wrought church Tifa glanced at the bubbling fountain and flicked a gil into it out of habit before entering through the large, wooden front doors; she quietly entered as an evening mass continued on and went into a quiet corner that held an unmarked door.

Tifa entered the room, the space lit with a calm and low light. There was a bulletin board with jobs requiring completion and several bookshelves with choice knowledge on various subjects, from mythology to lore on various unholy creatures. Tifa would read those books occasionally, finding it dreadful that vampires weren't even the worst creatures known to the church. Their duty as vampire hunters was to return the undead back into the cycle of rebirth that they had escaped; they called themselves "vampire hunters" because they specialized on that intelligent undead creature that had devious magics and terrible cunning.

The vampire hunter looked over the jobs available and picked one involving ghouls that had been sighted in the area, something she could easily solo. The other jobs listed might take several hunters to complete and they were spread out as it was, though the members of the guild were told they would soon be able to push their influence into the city and not rely on nearby towns for recruits as much as they had been.

She wondered if the precious few others based at this cathedral were out on other jobs or on their way to find new ones; one of the new recruits who lived in the cathedral's living quarters for the priests and others was probably not quite ready for any solo missions into the darkness. Being that Tifa was the second newest member she would assist with lesser dangers while the eldest would have the rookie assist in a vampire hunt. Finished with her business she left the room and sat on a pew for the rest of the mass, enjoying the quiet ritual and leaving her feeling better than she had entering. As it finished she lingered a few moments before joining the church goers on their way out.

Leaving quietly she flowed out with the citizens who were at the mass earlier, aiming for the abandoned street the creatures were spotted at several days ago. Tifa knew the area well enough from previous jobs and where she would be more open for a fight and where to retreat to in case more showed up. They weren't particularly numerous or intelligent, but those claws made for troublesome melee and possible infections that would be difficult to treat.

The woman silently made her way towards a hiding spot within some clutter and glanced about in the shadows for anyone or anything in the area; it was so far clear except for the skittering of a rat here and there. Then, after many minutes she heard the familiar scratch of bony claws on pavement, and she tensed. The faint scent of carrion followed as several of the pale, humanoid creatures came into view slowly as they hunched on all fours in the dim light of a half moon.

The reason for their appearance came soon after, the sound of dragging and footfalls coming closer; Tifa hid further and listened with quiet breath. The voice was deep and heavy like thunder in her ears, the owner unseen from her vantage point.

"Take care of her for me." A soft thud followed, then the sick sound of gnawing and slowly retreating footsteps came afterward. Tifa waited several minutes before peeking out to observe the scene; there was no point concerning herself with the deceased that the ghouls were feeding on, and maybe the authorities would come across the remains later, giving a chance for identification.

The ghouls were focused on their meal, knobbly backs to her. She readied her dagger and the vial of holy water that clung to her belt, covered by the fabric of her jacket and slowly stalked towards the creatures. Quickly, she made a strategy for dealing with the three ghouls, which to attack first and which to disable. They weren't the hardest thing to kill if one striked first, just like any other creature. The problem was getting the jump on them in the first place.

Her foot came down too hard on a bit of stone and pointed ears swiveled; she damned her waning luck as she pushed forward into her first target to at least injure the ghoul, then smashed her vial of holy water on the second one to a chorus of angry, throaty hisses. Tifa gave a roundhouse kick to the third as it leaped at her, then used her palm on the first to push it back by its forehead. The second was stumbling about as the holy water drained it of any energy it had, the beast sinking to the ground.

The vampire hunter's fist glowed, and flames leapt onto the first ghoul before she stabbed her sacred weapon into its chest; the hiss from its gaping, gory mouth silenced as the creature's flesh became dry and ashy. "First one down...!" she whispered to herself.

The third recovered from the kick to its face and charged, Tifa ripping out her weapon from the dead ghoul and readying her defenses as the claws of her attacker came closer. She dodged the vicious swipe and gave a strong upper cut to the chin before driving the sharp weapon into its belly as it writhed upon the cobblestone alley; it blindly clawed as she pushed the spindly arm away. The hunter dug deeper after the ghoul attempted to kick her, retaliating with a swift kick into one of its legs before the dagger sliced upwards into its heart.

Tifa stood up after retrieving her weapon, quietly observing the last ghoul that struggled to stand, the holy water chaffing its near translucent skin. She wondered if any of the ones she killed used to be vampire hunters, or just victims unfortunate enough to gain the ire of darker powers. They were disgusting but pitiable, that was what she learned; they too were victims of the night that needed to be freed.

"I'm sorry this happened to you, to your friends...I hope your next life doesn't meet an end like this." The hunter ignored the gory remains of the trio's meal that laid next to the monster, and she pierced the back, between its ribs to quickly kill it. There was no need to prolong the suffering of the damned, she thought. The ghoul shuddered a bloody sigh from its mouth before collapsing, the silence deafening in the wake of the skirmish. Tifa removed the dagger as the creatures began to dissipate; the only thing that would be left might be some ash and undigested leftovers.

She quickly scanned the area, then made her way as quietly as she could out of the dead end street the battle took place on after looking for a remain she could use as evidence of the deed. Tifa settled on a hard clump of ash that sometimes occurs when ghouls disintegrate. The last thing she would need is either their master showing up or possibly the authorities discovering her near a savaged body, and that would mean questions that she didn't have the right answers to. The vast majority of people didn't believe in these things anymore, and whether it was because of their secrecy or man's technology making everyone complacent she was unsure.

As she meandered through the streets she remembered that she would have to look out for Cloud's hideout; the reward for the ghouls could wait, and the night was still very young. Deciding that she wouldn't wait until tomorrow she walked briskly as she headed back towards the edge of the other sector, hoping for a glimpse of her childhood friend. She wondered if she really could finally do it; this was someone close to her heart and not another stranger. No, she knew she had to be strong so they both could move on, she with her life and his with the cycle of rebirth.

It hurt like hell to think about it. But, he was already dead. It wasn't him in there anymore.

As she made her way into the next sector the hair on the back of her neck stood on end and she spun around, Tifa had been stalked by another ghoul! Clenching her weapon in her left hand so she could lead with her right she charged the sneaky monster, and at the last moment as it stood still did she realize her terrible mistake; it was an illusion that disappeared as she hit it with her fist, her momentum slamming her into a brick wall with a grunt. Her weapon clattered to the ground as her grip on it weakened.

Tifa groaned as she shook her head, steadying herself before hearing the sound of feet hitting the ground behind her. She gasped, then before she could turn around cold hands wrapped around her from behind, one covering her mouth to prevent her screams from alerting any in the area. The hand on her abdomen spread out and a tingle that only materia creates issued from the palm. Icy lips brushed her ear, and before she could react to the monster restraining her it whispered a single word to her: "Sleep."

She felt like she was falling into oblivion as everything went black.


	2. What To Do With You?

Tifa groaned as she woke up in a pitch black room, the dimensions of which she could not calculate. She attempted to move her arms, finding them bound behind her back with rope as she sat on the gritty floor; whoever captured her wasn't taking any chances, her feet bound in rope as well. She tested her restraints for naught, and she leaned back on the wall with a frustrated huff.

Something warm moved next to her hip and began squeaking; her eyes widened and she tried to punt the creature away with a wiggle. It did little, but the creature scurried away as if acknowledging her discomfort. Tifa sighed, then after a moment tried her restraints again. She could feel the rope around her legs give ever so slightly under her jeans, and she fumbled with her boots in an attempt to slip the rope off. If she couldn't get her hands free immediately, at the very least her legs could put up something of a fight.

She froze as she heard heavy footsteps, first from above her and then from what sounded like rickety steps. Her eyes still couldn't make out anything in the dark, but her ears could make out the sound of shuffling fabric and heavy boots coming closer and closer. Finally her abductor stopped in front of her and seemed to kneel, studying the awoken hunter. She looked away, knowing it was a vampire; there was no body heat felt and no breath heard.

Tifa felt a cold hand reach out and softly turn her face back to look at them, and she glowered defiantly at whoever it was. "You work for the church." It was more a statement than a question, the male voice strong and quiet with a slight accent to it.

She didn't respond, not having any words for the abhorrent creature that studied her in the darkness. Her feet wiggled subtly, the rope loosening ever so slightly.

"Not gonna talk to your host?" Again she didn't respond, and a sigh passed the vampire's lips. His hand fell away and she was certain he would strike her, but nothing came. A moment later and an icy finger touched her neck, causing her to jerk; it looped around her necklace and pulled the ring out from her jacket. "Hm."

"Don't touch that!" she demanded.

Tifa felt her captor rolling the silver ring about with his fingers quietly, ignoring her for a moment as he studied it. "Why don't you want me to touch it?" More glowering. "Is it special to you?"

"What does it matter to you?" she retorted.

"I'm just curious."

Tifa sighed harshly, slumping back onto the wall. "Cut the crap. What are you gonna do to me?" She thought it best to get to the point as she wriggled her wrists a bit, a slight loosening of the rope felt.

"Dunno yet." He softly dropped the ring onto her chest. "You were out causing trouble tonight."

She felt a flash of anger at his statement. "You blood sucking creep, _I'm_ the cause of trouble?"

The vampire chuckled dryly. "That's not a very nice thing to say." Tifa wondered if her captor was being condescending towards her, and it only helped to enrage her further. "You're lucky I got to you first. The other one would have just used you to replace what you killed...After draining you for every last drop of blood you had, of course."

Tifa sneered despite the considerable amount of fear she felt. "And I should believe that you won't be doing that?"

"No," he said quietly. "I'll figure something out, I'm sure...Either way, your vampire hunter days have effectively ended."

Her eyes widened as he said those chilling words; she was truly unsure what he would end up doing to her. A meal later in the week, a servant that does as he commands, or perhaps he would 'play' with her until he was bored. If this was the end of the road, she wanted to go down fighting and not as some pathetic shell. The rope on her arm loosened more as she rubbed.

She felt the vampire sit down next to her, leaning on the wall. His shoulder rubbed on hers and she recoiled as best she could without losing balance. He paid no heed and went to studying her ring again in silence as she huffed, still fidgeting; she was certain he would notice but he seemed to ignore her attempts at freedom. "Obviously you don't think much of vampires, but...do you think we're just soulless husks?" His voice was quiet with a childlike curiosity. "That's what I've heard."

Tifa hadn't expected a vampire to ask what their hunter thought of them, but she supposed if you had one at leisure, there was time for talk. It caught her off guard, but with her current predicament it wouldn't hurt to humor him a little. "...Maybe trapped, corrupted souls. Souls that just want the taste of blood to warm their dead bodies for a little while." Not quite the whole truth, but enough. She paused. "Do you...feel anything?"

"Feel?"

She nodded, genuinely curious despite her anger. If he was willing to talk, maybe she could find answers to questions she had since Zangan trained her as she loosened her bonds; it isn't like a vampire hunter would get a chance to do this very often at all. As if she had much time left on this world, she lamented to herself. "Emotions. Besides maybe anger...I've seen that."

He shifted slightly where he sat, and she felt his eyes on her. "We don't lose them at death. Some grow distant from them, though. I hope I never do." The vampire rolled the ring still in his fingers, as if contemplating something. "Do you think this is a nice ring?"

"I'm wearing it, aren't I?"

He snorted. "Is it the wrong size?"

Tifa brought her brows together. Why did this stranger care? "I don't want it to break on my finger, so I keep it around my neck," she said simply. _'He's getting too personal.'_

"Hm. I was worried I bought you a ring that didn't fit, Tifa."

Her glower turned into a look of shock. "...Cloud?"

A small, humorless chuckle left his lips as he again released the ring. "You've grown, after seven years...I almost didn't recognize you."

Tifa looked down, doleful. _'It's him...'_

"You're after me, right?" The vampire didn't receive a response back, and she sensed him looking into her face. "Hey," he said softly, attempting to get her to speak.

 _'What do I do now?'_ He was right next to her, the one she wanted to free from undeath for the last five years, and he had captured her. He won the unspoken game, and she was certain he knew it; he would be well within his bounds killing her, or worse. Tifa's mouth had gone dry, and she wasn't sure what to say. He already knew her intentions. She was at his mercy, and vampires weren't known for that virtue.

He put a hand on her shoulder, and she flinched. "Tifa...You know I'm not gonna kill you. Right?"

"...I don't know that."

"I promised I'd help you out if you were in trouble, remember?" He moved the strands of hair that covered her face, the coolness of his fingers making her brace. "Did you think I'd forget?"

She sighed. "I thought it would be meaningless to a vampire." She still thought that. Tifa squeezed her fists, his voice tormenting her with gentle words.

"I made a promise to you. I intend on keeping it, even _if_ you wanna kill me for no good reason."

"No good reason? I've seen what vampires do plenty of times. The things you do to people..." She turned away, the thought of him of all people devolving into a wicked nightmare tormenting her further.

"Is that why you want to kill me? I don't have a choice but to hunt, Tifa." Was that hurt in his voice? "It's not like I've changed that much in five years..."

Tifa looked back and slowly shook her head. "Cloud wouldn't do this." She moved her arms as much as she could, the rubbing sound of rope against fabric coming from her back.

"Tifa wouldn't be looking to jam a stake in my chest," he retorted.

She sighed heavily. "You died..."

He scoffed. "You don't have to tell me, I experienced it. It wasn't very pleasant." He was studying her again in the dark, the occasional squeak of a rat breaking the silence; Tifa assumed the critter was near or on his knee. Of course the dead would have the company of vermin. "You're one of the last people I'd want to hurt, Tifa." She heard the soft shuffle of fabric as he moved his leg in the darkness. "And because of my promise, you have to stay here for now."

She struggled against her restraints again, frustrated. "How long?"

"Until I know what to do with you." She heard more squeaks and then a quiet grunt, as if he was acknowledging the rat. He stood up and moved back a pace.

"What, are you going to leave me down here, then?" Maybe she could get this rope off after a while if he left, she thought. Still, Tifa felt indignant that he of all people would keep her in such a place all day, or possibly longer. What if it was just a trick? It would be easier to turn her into a servant and collect the information. _'What is he really up to?'_

"No. I kept you down here in case you got out of your ropes before I reached you, I didn't want to go searching for you in the house...Or have you destroy the room right off the bat." He bent down and scooped her up and gently slung her over his shoulder, then walked back the way he came. Tifa prayed the old steps wouldn't give out under their combined weight. "But, now that we talked a little, I should take you to a nicer room...and you seemed to have calmed down a bit."

"I'm honored," she said in a withering voice, earning her a small chuckle from her keeper. "I'm guessing the rope stays on, doesn't it?" The rope on her legs loosened little by little as she kicked her foot gently in a bored manner. She glanced about, waiting for the darkness to open up so she could see her surroundings better.

"Until I can trust you." He came to the top of the stairs, a small and dim light coming from their left; Tifa looked around and noticed they were in a dark kitchen. The hum of the refrigerator and the sound of her captor's boots on a linoleum floor caught her attention. "I'm as thrilled about it as you are, but I'm not stupid."

She agreed, he wasn't stupid. He knew well enough she was a danger to keep alive in his lair like this. Tifa still desired escape, however. She doubted very much that she could fight him right now, but there was a small chance she could escape his clutches, and it was a chance she would take. This wasn't quite the boy from Nibelheim...but she wasn't quite the girl from Nibelheim, either. It hurt terribly to think about it.

"Tifa?"

"It's nothing...I'm fine," she lied. He grunted, unconvinced. Tifa picked at the rope binding her arms, wondering if she could squeeze them out of the binds. She couldn't trust him as much as she wanted to, his tone of voice and actions almost convincing. But, there had to be a reason for holding her besides her supposed safety. He was a vampire, and Zangan taught they always had ulterior motives. Perhaps it would be some sort of twisted pleasure to the vampire to make her open up, pretending to truly care before completely destroying her. To add to her worries, the room he transported her to might be impossible to break out of if he wasn't keen on taking his chances with her.

The room they entered was ancient looking and poorly lit, a dull lamp the only thing lighting the space. The floors were dusty hardwood and the furniture simple; two couches, several bookcases and a table. Tifa wondered if there were windows beneath the heavy looking, dark colored curtains or if the vampire had boarded them up to keep the Sun's light completely out of his den. He moved on towards another staircase, this one less rickety to her relief.

"...This place must have been pricey," the woman joked as the rope holding her legs drooped just enough...

"I guess I need to work on remodeling the place." As he came to the hallway the rope fell off his captive's lower limbs, causing him to gasp a confused query before Tifa used her freed legs to trip him; she used the momentum to roll him on his back before his confusion could melt into focus.

"Tifa!"

She attempted to bound down the stairs as she worked off her arm bindings, almost free. The rope began to fall away as she made it to the last step, and Tifa quickly took in her surroundings; the door to freedom was little more than ten paces away. It was a long shot, she knew, but she wasn't going to be a prisoner to a vampire...Even if it was someone she once knew.

Tifa was half way there when a force smashed her against the wall, causing her to cry out a grunt. A strong grip suddenly held her arms in place and she looked up defiantly. Shuddering, she finally saw Cloud; his pale face warped with an irritated grimace, his blue eyes almost glowing as his fangs grew out of his exposed mouth. She struggled against him, but his hands held her firmly in place. He moved in close, keeping her from using her legs again.

"So I can't trust you, even in ropes," the vampire growled. He lowered his head slightly, like a predator about to pounce; then Tifa remembered the corpse that was in the coffin earlier in the night, the gory hole torn into the throat and the clammy white skin of its resident. "I didn't want to resort to this, but it'll be hard to escape when you can barely sit up." His voice was a low and feral hiss, promising her there was no escape from him. The vampire's head sunk further, his lips grazing the skin of her neck.

She gasped as he suddenly bit her neck, crying out from the pain and struggling against him as her blood flowed into his cold mouth. Her head became light and her limbs weak, and the last thing she remembered before passing out was his arms moving to hold her.

* * *

Cloud held Tifa in his arms as he finished feeding, taking enough blood from his friend to keep her out of trouble for the next several days if he was lucky. Today, she would be helpless. He sealed the weeping wounds with a lick, then looked at her face; she was so pale, her hair clinging to her face. "Things never end up the way they should..." he mumbled before licking any blood left off of his lips. His panic and irritation had faded into sadness at the turn of events.

He carried her bridal style into the room he chose for her, a small guest room he kept just in case he had to keep someone for the day. He really didn't want to have to bite Tifa, he had hoped she would be reasonable with him. Bindings first, blood last. _'At least she isn't tied up now.'_ He had thought of unbinding her so she had some mobility in her room if she had calmed down before the end of the night, but she had to be sneaky.

He thought it ironic, the vampire hunter being the devious one. Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around?

Cloud shuffled the blankets on to her after taking off her boots and tucked her in, making sure she would stay warm. He moved the hair out of her face before softly rubbing her cheek, then he gave her a lingering kiss on her forehead. The vampire kept watch, kneeling next to the bed and holding one of her hands for a time, thinking about what he should do with her.

This was his oldest friend, the one that made Nibelheim tolerable. The one he wanted to impress with stories of heroic adventures as he saved citizens from monsters when he returned to his hometown to guard the villagers from Nibel wolves and the rare dragon. The one he gave a ring to with hopes of someday being the one person she chose to be with.

Instead, he became one of the monsters that preyed on the people of the city, and the one person he loved the most, the one person outside of his family he would do whatever it took to keep safe, most assuredly hated his guts. But he would try for Tifa, he promised to save her. Even if he hadn't he would do it anyway.

Cloud eyed the necklace poking out from the covers, and prudently removed the jewelry so it wouldn't tangle about her neck as she slept. It was a surprise to him that she kept the little ring he bought for her when he inspected the lace of leather on her neck, bringing some small joy that she wore it. He looked under the sleeve covering his left arm, the little bracelet made of deep blue glass beads with painted yellow lilies that she gave him seven years ago always on his wrist.

"Why did you become this...was it my fault?" He was sure it was his fault for sending those letters instead of leaving them in blissful ignorance. _'I really shouldn't have listened to Zack.'_ He hadn't received a letter from his mother in a year, and Tifa was unconscious on a bed in front of him because she wanted to be a hero.

Just like him.

Cloud stood up and took a final glance at his childhood friend before going down to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water for his guest's nightstand. He checked his refrigerator for any prepared food she could eat; a frown crossed his face when he realized he would have to go out and find something for her. It wasn't as if he needed to eat, he just liked to sometimes, and he was out of supplies. Not that he was ever really good at cooking, but at least he didn't burn water.

Taking the glass upstairs he left it on the nightstand, next to the lamp that rested on the wooden surface. Cloud thought a moment and checked the drawer; there was an old flashlight he brought with him into the house four years ago. The batteries seemed to still work, and he placed it on the stand as well. Checking again on Tifa, he went downstairs to start his short night time journey.

Walking towards the front door with a huff Cloud bent down to rub his servant's chin, the black rat squeaking in delight as his master hit a sweet spot. "Watch over Tifa, Squeak. I'll bring back something for you, too. Okay?" More squeaks. "Yeah, I should have checked the rope, but...Tifa's my friend." Standing up the door opened and he quickly made his way to a store open during these early hours; he only had two hours before he had to hide away from the world. Cloud looked up to the stars that witnessed his oath, and he wondered if they noticed how hard he was fighting for Tifa.


	3. It Just Can't Be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains some disturbing imagery. But not too much.

"Nnngh..." Tifa's neck felt sore and stiff, and her head felt so very light. She blinked a few times, the room lit with a soft yellowish light. She squeezed her eyes closed in a bid to remember what happened last night and why she was in a stranger's bed, and after several minutes of searching her fuzzy head everything flowed together. Her hand went to her tender neck, the two wounds stinging at her touch as she grazed her throat with her fingers. He bit her!

Very slowly she sat up in the bed, holding her sides as she let the memories settle in her mind. She felt uneasy. _'I should have waited until sunrise...' _Still, she couldn't trust a vampire, she had to get out of there before he did anything to her. Or, that had been her plan, to just run away in her panic induced state. It was for naught, she was completely at his mercy now with her blood drained from her body by that fiend masquerading in her friend's body.__

Tifa glanced at the nightstand next to her and noticed there were a few things collected on the top; a flashlight, a glass of water, a small plate of covered and cooked burger patties, her necklace and a letter. She slowly took the letter after donning her necklace again and opened it up with clumsy fingers, thankful it wasn't sealed. Her eyes scanned the paper's message from her keeper.

_Tifa,_

_I left you a glass of water, and some food too. It's safe to eat, and the water isn't contaminated. I didn't want to do that, Tifa. I told you I want to help you, not kill you...You're important to me._

_Anyway, the bathroom is on your left, and the flashlight on the nightstand should work. Don't try escaping again, the door wouldn't open for you anyway. Were you that desperate to get away from me that you forgot how vampire lairs work? I'll see you at sunset._

_Cloud_

_P.S. I'll bring you some more food when I get up, and play nice with Squeak. He won't bite._

"Squeak...?" she mumbled under her breath. Tifa read the note over several times, her eyes always straying to "You're important to me". How so, she wondered. Help, not kill, what was his true motive? Was this just a sick game to make her bring down her guard, only to do unspeakable things to her? _'He bit me. He bit me. He bit me.'_ That thought was more painful than her healing wounds; if it wasn't him it still looked like him all the same.

Tifa took a deep breath. She had no idea what time it was or how long she had been out, the window predictably boarded up when she weakly moved a curtain away as she leaned towards the wall bordering her bed. She glanced at the nightstand and regarded the glass of water; she was parched but still wary. The vampire very well could have put something into her drink or food, a vile potion or even a few drops of his ichor despite his note's promise. She sighed heavily and stared at the door to the room, intimidating in the low light. It was cracked open slightly, as if to allow any nightmarish creatures that roamed the vampire's den free entry.

She wondered what she could do in her current situation, a bedridden prisoner to a vampire. She was too weak and unprepared to walk into his room and finish him off, and there were an unknown number of servants possibly roaming his house; she could hear occasional scratching nearby, and wondered if that was possibly one of them. Whatever it was, it was close. She tensed instinctively, staring at the dark opening.

The door moved slightly, as if bumped by something, and she heard scurrying in her room. With trepidation Tifa moved her head to get a closer look and her skin crawled at the sight of a large, fat rat with black fur staring at her from near a dresser; it had a tail longer than its body trailing behind it, slightly curled. It squeaked several times at her, and she tossed the flashlight at it in disgust. The rat dodged her projectile and squeaked angrily at her as Tifa glowered in its direction. "Scram!"

More angry squeaks. Then it scuttled off.

Sighing, Tifa fell back onto the bed, her head spinning again after her short encounter with the rat. She tried to think of any plan to possibly escape, her mind too murky from blood loss to come up with anything worthwhile. In a short while she was back asleep, dreaming of horrible things that meshed the past and present together in vivid detail.

* * *

_Tifa entered the abandoned mine that she accompanied Zangan to, right outside of a village near Nibelheim. Her master had a special relic to destroy the vampire's illusion over its lair, and the two made their way down the shaft, already working against the clock as sunset came closer and closer._

_They had run into the vampire's forest servants, slaying several hostile animals and taking up precious time that could have been spent finding this lonesome lair. The blood of beasts was splattered on the vampire hunters, and Tifa tried to rub some off her arm as they went deeper into this dark den of evil. The smell of blood and rot grew in the air, a heavy and pungent stench that burned her nostrils._

_The master and student checked this room and that room, finding one that was sealed near the end of the small mine; Zangan kicked the rickety door several times before it gave way to his strength. He dashed in only to fall to his knees with a shout as blood came weeping out of a wound in his chest, Tifa gasping his name as he struggled to stay upright. A sinister laugh echoed through the gloomy and poorly lit chamber and she looked up, eyes widening._

_"Tifa..." The vampire purred. Blond hair splayed into multiple spikes, black clothing with a collar that grazed his cheeks, and smoldering blue eyes tinged with red from the glow of torches on the walls. His ashy skin had shadows dance and flit upon its dead surface._

_The woman shook her head as she took a fighting stance. "You aren't Cloud."_

_The spiky haired vampire that lounged on the chair in front of her grinned, lips and taloned fingers splattered with blood. There were several corpses laying about his wooden throne, his boot on top of the rotting torso of a missing villager. "It's me, Tifa. Don't you remember all the fun we had when we were kids?" He shoved the corpse away with his foot, the disfigured face of the villager staring at her despite the eyes missing from the nibbling of scavengers._

_"It wasn't with you."_

_"Remember the summer nights when we chased fireflies?"_

_"It wasn't with you," she said louder._

_"What about the time we watched the firework celebration before I left?"_

_"It wasn't with you!" Her voice wavered with anger and despair._

_The undead aberration raised up from the chair and stood upon the unrefined floor of the mine shaft, still grinning and blue eyes burning with malevolence. In a deliberately slow fashion he licked the blood off of a finger before continuing his verbal torture of the young woman. "Of course it was with me. Who else would it have been with?" He came closer as he licked his lips of blood. "Come. Give your old friend a hug..."_

_Tifa went to strike but was sent flying into a wall with the flick of her opponent's hand, the rocky surface grinding into her scalp. The vampire was upon her in an instant, his smirking lips over her neck and his body flush on hers; her instincts attempted to recoil, to retreat, but there was no where to go. His blond spikes hurt her face, and his body shook with a chuckle as he pressed harder onto her._

_"Tifa..." The voice was different now, some nightmarish amalgamation of her childhood friend and what she would think a demon sounded like. "We can have fun together again. Wouldn't you like that, Tifa?" His talons trailed her exposed cheek, threatening to draw blood at any moment the monster chose._

_"No!" She struggled harder against the thing holding her against the stones. The fiend licked her throat, and she cringed at the cold, wet sensation on her skin. The scent of blood flooded her nostrils, almost making her gag._

_"I promise I'll share Zangan with you after you become like me, Tifa." Fangs pinched her skin, the jaw tight on her throat. She screamed, but everything seemed to freeze as he bit down on her._

_"Tifa?" Her eyes looked about wildly for the source of the voice._

_"Tifa!"_

* * *

She jumped and gasped in bed, two hands holding her shoulders. Her breathing was quick and mind delirious, and she tried to fight back with limp hands; they pressed weakly against a chest as she squeaked out a protesting moan. Tifa slapped something soft and cool to the touch, earning a soft grunt from her opponent.

"Hey. You were having a bad dream..."

Tifa opened her eyes, those same blue eyes that seared their way into her soul in her nightmare were staring at her with a quiet concern. Her head swam, and she groaned as she looked away, squinting her eyes shut as a pain pulsed in her forehead. Tifa felt her shoulders being lifted and something cold and smooth held to her lips. "You need to drink some water, Tifa."

She refused the offered glass, shrugging her mouth away. "I don't know what you did to it..." Her voice was weak and scratchy.

"It's just tap water," he pleaded. After she made it clear she wouldn't drink from the offered glass she felt herself being lifted up; she opened her eyes to the spiky haired vampire moving her out of the room and down the dark stairs.

"What are you doing...?" she inquired with a suspicious tone. The vampire's arms held her firmly as he traveled into the kitchen, using his elbow to flick on a light. He took her to a cabinet, and as he balanced Tifa in his arms he opened it up and retrieved a glass, then filled it with water from the sink's tap. Finished, he placed it on the counter.

"Can you pick it up?" he asked in a gentle voice.

After a few reluctant moments Tifa took the glass from the counter and held it, and then the vampire moved her into the living room to let her rest on one of the couches. She pursed her dry lips as she stared at the water in the little light cast by the kitchen light; her thirst overrode her paranoia and she sipped from the glass. Her captor must have been satisfied with her actions, because the next moment he disappeared into the kitchen again after turning on a light in the living room.

Getting a clearer view of the living room as she sipped her water she noticed a vase of flowers on the table that rested between the two couches, and a book sitting next to it. The white and yellow flowers were eerily familiar, and Tifa tried to remember where she saw them before. Tifa's mind became clearer as she drank, as if it were a magical potion that was healing her. She mulled over her failed escape last night and her nightmare, the images so similar to her first encounter with the undead. Except it wasn't Cloud's visage in that mine, and she wasn't physically violated that night. Her hand came up to her neck, and she gingerly touched the bite marks.

No, she was violated last night. _'That's not my Cloud in there.'_

Tifa heard the scrape of a pot and the scent of food, making her glance towards the kitchen. _'He said he'd bring me food in the note...'_ She shifted uncomfortably on the couch and again glanced around, eyeing the rat that had appeared on the other couch and was staring back at her with what appeared to be a frown. Tifa wanted to toss her empty glass at the vermin but hesitated after raising it, it felt like that would be a particularly rude thing to do...

"You really shouldn't throw things at Squeak." The vampire had reentered the living room with a bowl in one hand, and Tifa finally noticed he wasn't wearing the clothing from last night; it was simple night clothing, a white shirt and black pajama bottoms. It was a stark contrast to the nightmare that bit her both last night and in her dream, his face such a familiar thing in good and bad ways; she looked away and took a deep breath. He kneeled in front of her as she laid on the couch and stirred the contents of the bowl, then offered a spoonful. She stared at what she assumed was some sort of chili and then looked back at him. He frowned.

"It's not spicy, if you're worried about that."

She shook her head. "What do you want from me?"

The spoon lowered slightly towards the bowl as the vampire sighed. "I already told you last night."

Tifa put her hand over her injury again as her eyes looked down at the bowl. When she looked up, her captor held an uncomfortable look on his face. "You want to help me. That's what you said." She took in a deep breath before continuing. "I don't understand this. You kidnap me and bind me in rope, you won't let me leave. Then you..."

"Would you rather be a ghoul right now, gnawing on your master's gifts? Maybe you should be a little more reasonable, Tifa." He brought the spoon up again, his eyes hard. "Eat. We can talk after you're finished." The vampire noticed the suspicious look on her face and he rolled his eyes. "I didn't do anything to it. If I wanted to do something to you I would have done it already, you're an absolute handful as it is."

_'This isn't Cloud.'_

She thought a moment, whether it was reasoning or her will weakening from hunger and blood loss she took a bite from the offered spoon. Her captor was mollified, and she eventually took the bowl and ate by her own effort rather than his. After a minute he returned with a fresh glass of water, replacing the one she had drank. He looked down at her, examining her. She tried to ignore his gaze.

"Do you need a blanket?"

She nodded after a moment. She was cold, even with a jacket covering her.

_'This isn't Cloud.'_

The vampire disappeared and reappeared a minute later, laying a blanket over her after she had placed the empty bowl on the table. He took it, and returned after depositing it in the kitchen; he sat on the other couch, rubbing the rat's cheek with a finger. She cringed and he glanced at her with a raised brow, snorting. "This is Squeak, my servant. Please don't attack him again, he's not going to hurt you." A few soft squeaks came from the rodent.

Tifa sat herself up and took a sip of her water, not making eye contact. "So, what are your plans for me?" It was best to find out what he was up to. She wrapped the blanket about her shoulders.

She glanced up at him, the vampire sitting an elbow on his knee and perching his chin on his hand. "I was gonna go to Nibelheim to visit you and Ma one last time. I guess I'll take you with me, and then you can forget about everything. You'll be safe from vampires, safe from the assassin's guild that I'm a part of, and you can go about with your life like I didn't exist." He paused, looking away, then looked back at her, his eyes searching hers. "I haven't heard from Ma in a year, so I'm kinda worried about her, too."

_'This isn't Cloud.'_

"Worried..." Tifa looked down, biting her lip. This can't be Cloud. It has to be something mimicking him, another being and his soul is trapped until the body is destroyed. Cloud wouldn't do the things she had seen. "You're worried," she whispered.

"Wouldn't you be?"

_'This isn't Cloud.'_

Tifa looked back up and sucked in a lungful of air. "Before I left for Midgar, Ms. Strife's house caught fire in the night," She studied his reaction, the widened eyes and stunned face. "...and she didn't make it." Her own face was tired and despondent, but nothing compared to the look on his. He slumped onto the couch and stared down at the vase of flowers, his hands clenching the fabric of the couch.

_'This isn't Cloud.'_

"Ma..." His voice wavered and he rubbed his forehead.

_'This isn't Cloud.'_

"The villagers tried their best to put out the flames, but it was too late," she murmured.

The vampire nodded and swallowed hard, rubbing his scalp with a hand. The living room was quiet, Tifa repeating her mantra in her head. It's not Cloud. It's not Cloud. It's not Cloud. She wrung her hands as the minutes wore on, frustrated. After what could have been a half hour the vampire spoke again after a heavy sigh. "I still need to take you back, even if there's no one worthwhile to visit anymore."

"I'm not going back there."

"Why not?" He looked at her with a perplexed expression on his face.

She tensed her jaw a moment, and shook her head. "There's nothing there for me but old memories, and...what could I do there?"

The vampire shrugged. "Be a guard, maybe? You were always really strong."

_'This isn't Cloud.'_

"I don't want that. Being ogled by the men that stayed behind as I guard them..." Tifa already felt that predatory gaze from several of the young men before she left Nibelheim. Between that and her father pressuring her to marry already, it drove her insane. Her personal quest was in comparison a breath of fresh air, full of danger and freedom.

The vampire groaned. "Okay, okay...so you don't wanna go back to Nibelheim." He was rubbing his chin in thought, mumbling to himself. "Can't let her go, don't want her stuck in the house..."

"Why can't you just let me go..."

He glanced back at her. "Because you're gonna be on the top of the list of persons to kill in my guild, and I don't want you coming here with your friends tryin' to kill me." He looked away. "You're free to stay here, but I'm sure you'll eventually want some fresh air and sunlight."

She sipped her water, holding the glass tight. "I'm stuck here? All because there might be a vampire looking to kill me? I could just hide in the cathedral."

His chuckle was humorless. "This is the assassin's guild we're talking about. You don't think there are human assassins? Because your cathedral doesn't stop them."

Tifa bit her lip; not only was she stuck with a vampire, he was an assassin, too. She really shouldn't be surprised at this point. "I don't wanna be stuck here for the rest of my life," she said quietly.

"Just worry about getting your strength back for now, Tifa. It's not like I'm gonna kick you out."

_'This isn't Cloud.'_

"I'll keep you safe, I promise."

_'This isn't Cloud.'_

She put her drink down and rubbed her face, sniffling. "The same vampire that bit me is gonna protect me," she said incredulously. Her mind continually flashed to that, even if there was good reason to do it; she was dangerous and they both knew it. Why he hadn't drained her in the first place boggled her mind, because then...

"You didn't leave me with much choice last night. I saved you and you treated me like a stranger that wants to hurt you." Tifa looked back at him, his arms crossed and his eyes looking towards the floor. "We were really close. I thought you'd realize I wouldn't try and kill you." His voice was almost a whisper, tinged with hurt. "But you were the one that was here to kill me." The vampire licked his lips, his face dejected. "I'm still keeping my word, though."

_'This isn't Cloud. This isn't Cloud. This can't be Cloud.'_

"What did Zangan teach you that you would think that of me?" He lifted his eyes to search hers.

Tifa shook her head. "Cl...I've seen a lot in five years. Vampires doing horrible things...mutilated bodies, torture, dark magic that terrorized villagers..." She looked back at him. "You drink blood."

He looked down again. "It's not like I wanted this to happen, you know." The vampire shifted on the couch, his face tense. "I do kill for blood, but I don't have much of a choice in the matter. I take from my marks and I usually do it quick." He shrugged. "If there was another way of going about getting blood I'd love to hear it, but until then I don't have a choice if I want to exist or not go insane from cravings first."

She looked around. His place was old but not like the lairs she had been in, she had to admit. There was no reveling in death here, just quiet respite from the world. _'This can't be Cloud.'_ She refused to believe it, Zangan couldn't be wrong about this. As she thought, the vampire came back up to her and picked her up, taking her up the stairs again, the blanket trailing behind them.

"Corrupted souls...I don't know. Cursed might be a better description," he said as he went up the stairs. "All these powers, and we have to kill to 'live', and we can't ever see the Sun again."

_'This can't be Cloud.'_

He placed her on the bed, tucking her in again. "You still need to rest. I need to go out for a little bit, but if you need anything, ask Squeak. I'm sure we'll talk again before the night is done." He gave her a sad smile, causing her breath to stop a moment.

_'He **can't** be Cloud.' ___

"Is this just because of your promise?" she asked with a curious tone. Tifa's hands squeezed the mattress sheet under her, tense from dread anticipation. 

The vampire paused, staring into her ruby eyes with a serious expression. "No. You're my friend, Tifa. You were my only friend in Nibelheim. You don't think that's worth something to me?" He rubbed her cheek, turned off the lamp and before she could respond he left the room. 

_'You're important to me.'_ Tifa swallowed hard and turned to bury her face into her pillow, her eyes burning and chest quivering. _'You were my only friend in Nibelheim. You're important to me.'_ It made sense if that vampire was Cloud. She shook her head as she sniffled. _'He can't be Cloud. He just can't be. It's supposed to be something else, not him!'_ Her tears soaked into the pillowcase as she tried to deny everything, and inside Tifa's chest her heart squeezed as tightly as her grip on the pillow her head rested on. 

_'Please...no.'_ She fell asleep after staining her pillow with countless tears, her breaths quivering into the pillow as reality came crashing down on her drained body. She grieved in the darkness, damning the fates for everything that happened. 


	4. Well, You're Wrong

Cloud left the confines of his abode and traveled the chilly night, his hair still slightly damp from his shower and skin illusioned to a healthy glow. His usual garb sans his armor sufficed for the trip he would take, his next mark several nights out as it was; if any vampire hunter saw him they couldn't tell what he was without magical assistance or if they had a photo of him. He touched his spikes, his natural hair a rare sight anywhere; during his missions he would wear a cowl to hide them out of sight.

He had checked on Tifa one last time before heading out, the woman sleeping soundly on her belly and holding her pillow tightly. Cloud was sure she would be up by the time he came home; he knew vampire hunters kept a similar schedule to their prey. Squeak had said she slept the majority of the day away, then angrily squeaked about the flashlight she tossed. Cloud agreed she shouldn't have done that, and he hoped she wouldn't attack the rat in the future. Still, he asked the rat to try and play nice with his guest.

His mind wandered to his mother, the poor woman dying in a fire and erasing any history of their family living in his hometown. That was a horrible emotional blow to him. Cloud had desperately wanted to see her again, to give her a final hug and some money to make sure she would be alright financially. It wasn't like he couldn't make more gil easily, and he didn't have to worry about normal human expenses.

He walked towards the grocery store nearest to his home in search of food for his guest, and purchased items he assumed his friend would eat and a few other sundries to keep the kitchen stocked. With Tifa in the house, he would need to make sure there was food for her to eat. Cloud looked through some of the various shampoos and soaps offered and scooped up what he hoped she would like; he was rather clueless as to her preferences.

Carrying the bags down the street his mind continued to wander. What should he do with Tifa, knowing she wouldn't go to Nibelheim? Cloud was certain she would be wanted by the guild by now, and he wouldn't risk Tifa being seen during the day or night; it would end up in either her or both their deaths, and that was something he wanted to avoid at all costs.

He came across a food stand he frequented, and purchased cheeseburgers from the establishment. Cloud figured they could talk some more over the comfort food if she felt like opening up at all, he had been worried she would rather wither away than take any help of his. What could she possibly be thinking of him that she would look at him like that? Tifa looked at him like he was a total stranger, and it hurt. Even if she was a vampire hunter, he had to wonder what she had seen to be so hostile towards him.

As he wandered back towards his home he tensed as he felt something come close behind him on the dark street, and he snapped his head back the way he came. Cloud blinked, then relaxed as a black wolf with excitable blue eyes bounded over like a child fed too much sugar. A moment later and Zack stood in front of him in his usual attire of a black turtleneck sweater and blue jeans as dark wisps dissipated around him; he greeted his friend with a grin.

"Spike, I was lookin' all over for you last night! Where've ya been?"

Cloud gave a small smile back and shook his head. He had ignored his cellphone all last night. "I've just been busy, Zack. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah! Well I mean, a vampire hunter's been identified, so the guild's keepin' a look out for them. Apparently last night one of our associates' ghouls were destroyed, but he only got a glimpse of the woman through the second one she took down. When he got back, she was gone." He shrugged. "He woulda caught her, but she ran off before he could get to her."

Cloud's smile faded at the news. He was expecting it, but it was still jarring. "I see."

"Anyway, we gotta look out for a woman about this tall..." Zack raised his hand to Tifa's height. "...and she's got reddish eyes and dark hair. Apparently she's got a chest on her, too!" He said offhandedly. "We should totally go looking for her, Cloud."

The blond vampire shook his head. "Not interested."

Zack's face dropped. "Why not?"

Cloud looked away. "Just have other things I gotta do..." he mumbled.

"Other things...?" Cloud's friend cocked his head with a hand to his chin, then glanced at Cloud's arms. They were carrying grocery bags, and two paper bags from a burger place. His deep blue eyes widened. "Spike, are you hiding something from me?"

Cloud's eyes almost bugged out of his head as he looked back and forth at his burdened, gloved hands. "I...Zack...I-"

"Do you have a girlfriend!?" The other vampire sounded giddy, a mad grin on his face. "Oh my sweet little chocobo, is she at your place? You move fast!"

Cloud's jaw moved, but no words came out. Zack laughed and grabbed some bags out of Cloud's hand and wrapped his other arm around his friend's shoulders, guiding Cloud to his home. "I need to meet her, man! How long have you been going out, and you didn't even tell me!"

"Zack-"

"I mean, I just took Aerith out for a date last night and I told you-it went really well, by the way-"

"It's not-" They were almost at his lair.

"But here you are hosting a girl at your place! You need to pace yourself, unless this isn't sudden-"

"Zack!" the spiky haired vampire admonished his friend in front of the door to his home.

"What?"

Cloud sighed. "I'll be out to talk later, alright? I've got a lot of things on my mind right now." He looked down, everything still so raw.

"Okay, okay. Let me help you with your groceries at least, okay?" Zack asked in a quiet voice. Cloud thought a few moments; Tifa should still be upstairs asleep. It hadn't been more than two hours since he left, and it would look suspicious if he didn't let Zack in. He gave a small nod and the door opened for them both.

"Cloud's gotta girlfriend, finally!" Zack followed his friend into the kitchen, cheering loudly. Cloud cringed as they walked in and started putting things away; the last thing he needed was Tifa to overhear the assumptions of an excitable vampire. "We should totally do a double date, if it's serious. You play for keeps, right?"

Cloud rubbed his face. "Zack..." he moaned.

The black haired vampire snorted back a laugh as he put away a box into a cabinet. "You sure are bashful, Spike."

He didn't get a response back as Cloud finished putting things away and tossing the grocery bags, the burger bags sitting on the kitchen counter. "Thanks for the help."

"Where is she?"

"Huh?"

Zack pointed at the paper bags. "Your girlfriend?" He looked about the kitchen, then moved into the living room, his friend following him in a silent panic. "Oh, you're hiding her from me!" He pointed at an empty glass on the table.

Cloud bit his lip as his eyes darted about. "She's asleep right now, Zack."

Zack looked at him and pouted. "That's too bad. I wanted to see who finally ripped you out of your shell, Spiky." He let loose a sigh and sagged his shoulders. "Well, bring her out with us sometime, Maybe she'll make friends with Aerith." he said quietly.

"Maybe," Cloud said reluctantly. "Anyway, I'll catch up with you later, okay?"

Zack gave his friend a thumbs up as he grinned. "Don't let me keep you waiting, buddy! And if you change your mind about that vampire hunter, we can pair up and find her!" The black haired vampire bounded out of Cloud's home as the blond groaned, a hand to his face. As soon as Zack shut the door he went to the kitchen to fetch the burger bags and walked upstairs to Tifa's room. The door was locked.

"Tifa? He's gone." He hoped she hadn't overheard too much.

There was no response, but he could hear her on the other side of the door, her breathing quick. His frown deepened and he knocked on the door again. "It's okay, I swear. Please, open the door." After several moments the door unlocked and opened, and he was greeted to two large ruby eyes staring at him with a tortured stare in the dim light. "You're safe."

"For now," she said, a hand to her mouth. "They're looking for me, just like you said." It seemed Tifa was finally realizing the situation she was in.

Cloud nodded, his face sympathetic, then entered the room. Tifa sat on the edge of the bed, still watching him; he noticed her eyes weren't quite as hard as they were earlier in the night, but he didn't feel any better looking at that sullen gaze. Cloud handed her a bag and she took it after a moment's pause, her brows together. "It's just a cheeseburger. I thought you might like something like this."

Tifa dug into the bag, taking out the wrapped food item. She examined it before opening the wrapper, and she let out a small, amused snort. "Just like..."

"Nibelheim." Cloud completed the sentence as he unwrapped his burger, sitting on the ground next to her. "You used to buy them for us, then we'd eat lunch on that clearing on the hill overlooking the town," he said with a wistful smile. "I figured it was about time I bought you one, instead."

He heard her sigh before biting into her food, and he glanced up to see her stare at the cheeseburger with a pained expression as she chewed. Cloud wondered if he was dredging up something she didn't want to think about. He looked back down to bite into his cheeseburger as she began to speak. "I remember Cloud and I doing that."

He frowned at her wording. _'Cloud and I...?'_ Cloud swallowed his bite. "Yeah, us." He was still trying to understand why she said that. "Goober," he mumbled in a soft tone before he continued his meal, moving his foot side to side in a casual manner. Cloud felt Tifa's eyes on him again, and he looked up.

Tifa took in a deep breath after swallowing a mouthful of her lunch. "Cloud is...dead."

"I'm dead and still kicking," he corrected wryly. _'What is she getting at?'_

"Don't you understand? I know you aren't...you can't be Cloud," Tifa said, the woman squeezing the burger wrapper in her balled hands. She shook her head.

Cloud rubbed the back of his head, looking at her with a confused stare and head tilted to the side a little. His actions seemed to cause a conflict that shone in her eyes. "Who else am I supposed to be?" Tifa looked away, not responding; he put his wrapper down and stood up, gently shaking her shoulder to get her to look at him again. "Tifa? What are you talking about?"

She turned to face him, her eyes studying him for several moments before explaining. Tifa bit her lip and drew in another deep breath, Cloud noticing that she seemed hesitant to explain, as if he might do something to her afterwards. "Vampires...you have two souls. The trapped soul of the victim of undeath, and a corrupt, blood thirsty soul that takes over the body and mind at death. Sort of like a demon possession." Her eyes looked into his, full of agonizing uncertainty as her brows came together.

Cloud stared at her, his mouth agape at her ludicrous claim. Now he knew why she treated him the way she did, for all she knew he was a stranger parading about in his body; she was trying to free him from that. He shook his head. "Tifa...when I died, nothing took over me. I'm Cloud of Nibelheim, and no one else. Do you think a demon would keep you alive in its lair like this? It hasn't exactly been fun hosting you, as much as I'd like to say otherwise."

Tifa put her hands to her face and shook her head. "I've seen so much in the last five years, so many horrible things vampires do...and you want me to believe that you...you're Cloud." She shuddered a breath as Cloud took his hand off her shoulder, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, I do want you to believe it's me. Whatever you were taught is a load of crap," he said harshly. "You haven't figured that out yet?"

Tifa looked at him, her face revealing her upset. "I've seen enough that I can believe Zangan over you."

He narrowed his eyes at the low blow. "If he's so right, then," he hissed, "why aren't you dead yet? Why aren't you a ghoul or a servant? The only thing I've done is hold you against your will, for the sake of your safety." Cloud felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest at this point.

"I don't know. I don't know what you're up to," she admitted, shaking her head.

Cloud rolled his eyes, irritated. "Do you think I'm gettin' some sort of sick pleasure or thrill out of this? If I wasn't Cloud, why would I keep you, a risk to my existence, in my home?" She responded with a weak, uncertain shrug, her eyes still showing conflict over what she was hearing versus what she had seen and been taught. "You're a serious liability to me, and you know it, too. There's no upside for me keeping you here like this, free to roam the house and possibly end me as I lay on my bed. I'm doing this because I care about you. You're my friend, Tifa," he pleaded. "I could do anything I wanted to do to you right now. What do you think is stopping me?"

She raised her voice, still upset. "The last five years can't be wrong...they just can't be! Every horrible thing I've seen vampires do...a mine filled with mutilated corpses, wild animals and humans forced into servitude and do horrible things against their will, I've seen slaughtered families reanimated as ghouls, children held for some hideous blood ritual..."

They both knew what he was capable of. Cloud was capable of many, many things that could bring about a lifetime of nightmares to any witnesses. He had the knowledge and the growing power to do them, but it wasn't something that attracted him all that much. He liked some of it, the illusions and suggestions and transformations and levitation, but a lot of it was unsavory to him still. But he understood the reputation and fear, maybe even better than Tifa.

He shook his head angrily. "Sorry to ruin your expectations like that!" Cloud gave her a hard stare. "I guess you'd rather be dead than near me, at least your stupid master would be right then!" he said, his voice full of hurt. Tifa gave an upset frown, and he returned it. "You know what, the Tifa I knew wasn't this daft. She was an understanding, kind and strong person who thought for herself. Tifa used to talk to me...she used to look forward to seeing me." He turned away, sighing. "Tifa used to stick up for me, when no one else did." He paused, trying to control his emotions at this point as he bit the inside of his lip. He was upset and disappointed in his friend, but still very much concerned for her; this wasn't quite her fault, but it was still chipping away at his heart. Cloud looked back with a crestfallen expression on his face. Tifa stared at him, her jaw tense and her red eyes studying him quietly.

She looked down and held her ring, her voice was broken and meek. "And Cloud wouldn't be shouting at me."

Cloud huffed indignantly, and he paced a few times before a tense silence came over the room. He didn't look at her as he picked up the wrapper trash and walked towards the door. "Look, I bought some food if you wanna cook anything, and there's some clothing in the dresser. I'm gonna go out for the time being. Please, don't try to kill me in my sleep when daylight breaks...if our past meant anything to you at all like it does to me." As he left and closed the door, he heard Tifa whisper a "Thank you." Cloud glanced back at the door, then went downstairs.

* * *

_'Our usual hangout, far away from prying ears...'_ Cloud dangled his feet off the tall building's ledge as Zack joined him, humming some happy tune and kicking his feet in the air. Cloud thought back to the first time they met on this old building, his friend giving him a somber talk about what exactly happened to him after his battle with those creatures five years ago. It was a dilapidated, abandoned building in Sector Six that stood fifteen stories high, an old construction that had yet to be demolished.

"So, Cloud...about your girlfriend..."

Cloud rubbed the bridge of his nose. "She's not my girlfriend."

Zack looked back at his friend, his face conveying his confusion. "Then who is she?"

"You promise not to tell anyone?"

The black haired vampire grinned and nodded back. "Your secret is safe with me! So, who is she? Long lost sister? Dear old friend you haven't seen in ages?"

Cloud snorted as he looked at his friend. "She's that, and...she's the vampire hunter the guild is looking for," he said in a low voice. "We've known each other since we were kids. I made a promise to keep her safe before I came to Midgar, and I intend to keep it."

"You're friends with a vampire hunter? Someone that, you know, kills vampires," Zack said in a surprised voice.

Cloud sighed. "She wasn't when I left for Midgar, and I still consider her my friend." _'Even if she might not.'_

Zack rubbed his chin, then his eyes lit up. "Is this the same friend you talked about before the whole vampire thing happened to you?" he whispered. Cloud nodded, avoiding eye contact. Zack had been there the night he picked out a ring to send back to Tifa.

"Damn."

"Yeah..." Cloud put a hand through his spikes. "She...told me something tonight. That idiot guild of hers thinks we're possessed." He told his friend what Tifa had said.

"Wait, what?" Zack looked at Cloud with a perplexed expression on his face. "Possessed? Like in that one movie with the demon takin' control of that woman?"

Cloud snorted. "Something like that, I guess. Tifa's seen a lot of bad things, too. I guess to her, I'm a possible exception to that rule..." He knew it; some vampires were just as bad as some living humans. They were just worse to deal with because of all the power at their disposal. "A lot of vampires don't make us look good." He shrugged. "I mean, as blood drinking monsters go, I'd like to think I'm a little better than some of them." Certainly he made a ghoul out of a particularly noisome mark, but he didn't have a habit of terrorizing people. Neither did his friend, to his relief.

Zack fiddled with his thumbs after conceding the point with a nod. His friend watched him patiently as he prayed to whatever gods existed that he wouldn't do something that got her killed. "So, what are you gonna do with her?"

"I dunno yet. Until then she stays with me where no one can hurt her," he said quietly.

"She could kill you in your sleep, ya know," His friend warned.

"I know that..." he chewed on the inside of his cheek a little. "I have to trust her, too."

Zack hummed, bouncing a knee. "I'm not totally convinced she's trustworthy, Spike."

"She can barely get around as it is right now. The first night she tried to escape, so...I had to..." Cloud rubbed the back of his neck. He hated that cry that left her lips before she passed out, the look of terror in her eyes as he held her to the wall. He hoped it never came to that again, even if her blood was particularly sweet.

"And what about the next day, or the day after that?" his friend pressed, his voice full of concern. "I don't care that she used to be close to you, she's bound to kill you now that her head is pumped full of bad memories and information." Zack rubbed his hands. "She could be settin' up a trap right now!"

Cloud shook his head. "She's in her bedroom again, Squeak already checked." He looked up at the black sky. "I have to get it through to her that I'm me...even if it takes some time. This isn't her fault."

"Still, I don't trust her, Cloud. I can't, not without talking to her first."

"Maybe in a couple of nights. She barely trusts me as it is, Zack." It hurt to say that.

"So? I don't trust her around you." Zack crossed his arms.

Cloud sighed. "In a couple of nights, please. I don't want to rush this. We're both on edge, and on top of what she said earlier she told me what happened to my mother..." His mind continually strayed to that during the night, and he had been too busy to properly grieve. He told Zack the news, his friend patting his back.

"I guess it's been a hell of a night for you already." The black haired vampire nodded to himself and gave a final pat to his friend. "Okay, I'll wait. But I'm checkin' up every night, so you better answer your door!"

Cloud gave a tired smile. "Thanks, Zack."

"Yeah, yeah. You better get home before she gets any ideas, Spike." Zack shoved his friend off the tall building, Cloud grabbing his leg and jerking Zack off the ledge before they both tumbled into the darkness. They parted after Zack ruined his friend's hair with his quick noogie, the two taking off towards their separate homes as bats.

Cloud returned to his home after his short flight, walking in as his door opened. He tried straightening his spikes but gave up, instead returning to the second floor of his home after greeting Squeak. He decided not to bother Tifa, the woman probably still in deep thought, and went to his own room to mull things over.

He unceremoniously fell onto his bed and kicked off his boots in the dark room, his large bed in a corner and a desk covered in trinkets and writing supplies. His nightstand housed a small lamp and his phone, and he checked it after not having bothered with it the night before. Several messages from Zack and his newest mark for the week greeted him. He replaced it and stared at the ceiling, his mind going through everything.

His mother, his dear mother, dead in a fire. He had nothing to remember her by except his memories. She was a vibrant woman who almost always wore an orange dress and earthy brown boots, who always made sure he had enough to eat, the one that read him stories about heroes that planted that seed in his heart, to be like them. His mother and Tifa were the two most important women in his life.

He took off his gloves and put his fingers around his bracelet as his hands rested on his abdomen. He wouldn't let Tifa die, he wouldn't allow it; he had lost enough already. _'I have a chance to gain her trust, if I can just get through to her. I just have to take baby steps.'_ He continued to stare at the ceiling, rubbing the smooth glass beads that rested on his wrist before closing his eyes. Tomorrow night he hoped his old friend would open just a little bit more, and that she would be prepared to talk to Zack when they finally met. If he got this far with her, there was certainly hope for the next night. _'I'm not giving up on Tifa.'_

Cloud continued to think and silently grieve as the final hours of the night came to an end, the vampire resting on his side and still rubbing those comforting beads that his dearest friend gave him all those years ago. Would she finally realize it's him and not a thing animating him? He frowned before his consciousness faded as the dawn came, wondering why on Gaia Tifa would go through all this trouble to attempt to free him from such a fate despite knowing it could have gotten her killed or worse.


	5. The Harshness of Reality

_'He was upset last night.'_

_'I'm not playing his game, of course he's upset.'_

Tifa flipped the page of the book she was reading in the living room, ignoring both the words held within and Squeak's watchful eye. Squeak was upset when she told him she wasn't making him breakfast too, after he angrily squeaked something she didn't understand but got the jist of as she came down the stairs. _'I'm not catering to one of my jail wardens...'_

_'It can't be a game if he's risking himself to keep me alive. Cloud would do that, not a stranger. Cloud would look at me like a wounded animal after I said what I said last night.'_ He had always been sensitive, even when he tried not to show it on his face. Those blue eyes of his were windows into his soul. Still, doubt lingered. _'How can I be sure...'_

_'But I don't want Cloud to be...'_

_'It doesn't matter if I don't want him to be a vampire. If he's telling the truth those other vampires must have spiraled into madness, they were never others.'_ That was the conclusion she was coming to after hours upon hours of thought on the matter. Tifa had barely slept as she attempted to think things through, and she yawned at the thought of her patchy sleep through most of the day.

_'But how do I know it's the truth? That means the guild is wrong.'_

_'The guild isn't infallible.'_

_'Neither is he.'_

Tifa really wasn't sure what to think in regards to her keeper. She just needed to know more, she needed to make sure. She just had to make sure this wasn't some long drawn out act in a sick game. But what for? She couldn't think of any reason to take such a risk with her. _'You're important to me. You were my only friend in Nibelheim...'_

_'I still need to get out of here. But how? If I leave, that other vampire will find me for sure. Am I stuck here?'_

_'I could still go to Nibelheim...but that's just as much a prison as this in the end. What about my guild, what about the church? He...he said my vampire hunter days are over. Whatever decision is made, he's not letting me back in there.'_ She huffed angrily at the thought. That had been her life for the last five years, and he thinks he can take it all away?

_'But they'll be looking for me. What happens if I meet one of them on the street, or they visit my house? They would never understand that a vampire went through the trouble of keeping a vampire hunter alive. Just like I wouldn't if the situation was reversed...What do I do? They're probably worried if they don't think I'm dead yet.'_

She glanced at Squeak, then at the flowers in the vase on the table. _'Aerith is probably concerned, too. Hm. I wonder how her date went...'_ Tifa went back to staring at her book with a wistful sigh. She wondered what time it was, until she heard creaking footsteps and the shower running upstairs. _'Sometime after sunset.'_ Shivering, Tifa lifted herself from the couch after putting her open book on the table. She glanced at Squeak. "I'll be right back."

Squeak seemed to huff while staring at her. Tifa rolled her eyes and then went up to her room, searching for her jacket; the large thin T-shirt and baggy pajama pants she found in the guest drawers not quite keeping her warm enough. This vampire lair was chilly. She thought of chiding her warden for not paying his heating bill, but she wasn't quite in the mood to joke with him.

Her mind continued to mull over everything as she found the article of clothing, the conflict between her experience as a vampire hunter and this new, entirely different situation. As she made her way down the stairs Tifa wrapped her jacket around her; she froze as she hit the bottom step. Heavy footsteps snapped her out of her thoughts, and suddenly she didn't feel safe any more.

A black haired man came to a standstill near the center of the room, arms crossed over his chest as he looked around the living room with a frown. The man's blue-eyed gaze fell onto Tifa's wide, red eyes, and he pointed as he approached her. "Hey, you're Cloud's-" She tried to shoot up the stairs to get a height advantage in a fight but felt lightheaded, and she stumbled; a hand grabbed her shoulder, causing her to gasp. "Wait a second!"

Twisting her shoulder to escape his grip, Tifa turned around and gave a weak push to his chest to send him back to the living room as she attempted to get up to higher ground. She couldn't let him have any more of an advantage than he already did; this must have been the vampire that Cloud was speaking to last night, the one that was eager to catch her. In her current condition she knew she was in no shape to fight him. "Cloud!"

Tifa blindly charged up the stairs, and then she felt a strong arm pulling her up the rest of the way and a wet, warm chest on her cheek. She looked up, Cloud sporting an annoyed grimace under his soaked bangs as he attempted to hold on to her waist in one arm and the white towel covering his hips in the other. "What the hell, Zack?"

"You opened the door!"

"I told Squeak to because he said she was upstairs!"

Tifa looked between the two. "I...just went upstairs to get my jacket," she said in a whisper. Cloud looked down at her, then a little past Zack with a hard stare.

"That wasn't funny, Squeak," he hissed.

Zack scratched his cheek with a finger. "I wasn't gonna hurt her..." He glanced at Tifa, and she stared back at him, and held onto Cloud tighter. "My name is Zack, if you haven't heard already," he said with a disarming smile. "What's your name?"

Tifa said nothing back.

Cloud gave her a squeeze, and she looked up at him. "C'mon. Let's get you back to your room, okay?"

Tifa nodded, hesitant to leave his side; it was ironic to her that she was clinging to him for dear life now when almost two days ago she cringed at his touch. But she still felt weak as her body recuperated from blood loss. The vampire escorted her to her room as footsteps descended the stairs. She released her tight grip on his torso as they entered the room, and then he walked off to his room after patting her back. She locked the door and leaned on it, listening for anything on the other side of the door and ready to move and defend herself.

Minutes passed and she heard footsteps go past her door, then murmurings downstairs as the two spoke; she put her ear to the door and made out Zack saying that he didn't mean to scare her, and Cloud asking him to act a little calmer the next time they met. Eventually she heard them say their goodbyes and the door opening and closing, then footsteps coming towards her door. A knock issued from the other side and she unlocked and peeked out of the door. The spiky headed vampire was clothed, a cowl resting on his shoulders.

"He's gone, Tifa."

Tifa nodded as she opened the door further, but she was baffled he would allow him into the house while she was wanted by their guild. "Did you...tell him about me?"

"Only him."

"Even after he invited you to find me?" she asked incredulously.

He sighed. "I wouldn't trust just anyone with this, considering we'd both be dead." Cloud moved out of her way, beckoning her to come downstairs. "Zack...he's worried you'll kill me, so he said he was gonna do nightly visits until he gets to know you better. When Squeak told me there was a knock at the door and that you were upstairs..." he glared at the rat who stood by the couch as he reached the living room, "I told him to open the door. I didn't want Zack busting the door in in a panic while I was in the shower."

"He wants to know me better?" she asked as she sat down on the couch again.

"When you're ready to speak to him, so he stops this nonsense." He stood, arms crossed as he glared at Squeak, the rat nonplussed at his master's irritation for his earlier transgression. To Tifa, it seemed the little servant was on a loose leash if he would go that far to seek petty revenge on her.

Tifa hummed to herself. "When I'm ready...I'm ready to go home, not be interviewed by a vampire."

Her captor snorted, tapping the fingers of one hand on a bicep. "We don't have many options at all in regards to that..."

"What options do I have now?"

He let out a loud sigh and eyed Squeak as the fat rat climbed up the couch opposite Tifa. Tifa's stomach lurched as the vampire's eyes then went to her. "Since you won't move back to Nibelheim, and I can't have you running around as a vampire hunter anymore..."

She shook her head. "You want me to become one of your servants?" she hissed with no small amount of suspicion. "You'd have full control over me!"

He shrugged. "You've been in my house the last two nights. If this was about controlling you, I wouldn't present it as a solution. I would have done it the instant I brought you here."

She narrowed her eyes. "The last five years I've been fighting the darkness, and you want me to become a part of it?"

"Do you have a better idea? I'm giving you the chance to be completely off limits to my guild."

Tifa huffed. "And then what? My guild is going to be looking for me. They know where I live. I can't tell them I'm not interested anymore...They'll know something happened." She looked down at her feet. Vampire hunters don't reappear after several nights unless they're servants or new vampires, and they made for some extremely dangerous opponents if they hadn't been killed outright. Or so her compatriots had said.

"But they wouldn't kill you over it...right?" He looked uncertain as her gaze came back to him.

She opened her mouth to speak but promptly closed it again; they wouldn't do that, would they? Almost all the servants she came in contact with were put down, however. _'Almost all of them. Why couldn't we save them like some of the others...?'_ Tifa hadn't questioned that before. Couldn't they force holy water on them to remove the unholy taint? She was silent for a minute, her face a frown as she thought it over. "I don't know."

He shook his head. "Maybe your guild is as cutthroat as mine is. At least with the assassin's guild, they're honest about it." Tifa knew of that guild, a small, secretive collective that took care of some of the city's dirty business. There had been rumors of vampires working for them, and here was proof, standing before her.

"It's not like I don't know what happens to a majority of servants vampire hunters face, even those that were formerly of the guild..." The thought was jarring still, and the question of why their guild wasn't saving them continued to run through her head. _'Shouldn't we try to save them if we have the chance? Even when we weren't in a hurry the hunter I was under went for kills instead, rarely saving them.'_

She was snapped out of her thoughts by a heavy sigh. "Why did you have to become a vampire hunter...it was because of me, wasn't it?"

She nodded after a tense moment. When Zangan explained to her what had happened to Cloud, she had to save his soul. That was her primary reason for joining the crusade against the undead, him. It hurt every time she thought about it, even now as she questioned all she knew.

"You...went through all this trouble, and you probably almost got yourself killed more times than I'd like to think...just because of me?" His eyes were guilt filled as he gazed at the flowers on the table.

Tifa shrugged, looking away. "I didn't want...you...to be this."

The vampire snorted. "I certainly didn't want to be this, either. I wanted to fight the monsters that threaten the city, not become a monster myself," he said bitterly. He covered his hair with his hood, then looked at Squeak and then Tifa. "I need to leave for now. Would you two please get along? I don't wanna come back to you two fighting over something silly." Taking one last, lingering look at Tifa, he disappeared through the door as he brought up the fabric that covered his mouth.

* * *

He couldn't believe it. Or, maybe he could. Tifa's guild wasn't as beneficent as she would have thought at first glance, even though Cloud himself could understand why; they were after things like him, and some vampires just had to go out and cause more ruckus than what was needed. But killing their servants rather than freeing them when the chance presented itself was just harsh.

At least with the assassin's guild they laid everything out to you. Cross them and you're dead. If you have a target kill them and only them if at all possible. Other members were off limits, and traitors were killed. It was what you expected from a group of hired murderers; the ruling class to the lowliest beggar could count on them so long as they had the gil to pay.

He still had to shake his head at where fate took him in these last five years.

Turning onto a quiet street, he checked the numbers that hung upon the front of the houses for the home of his mark; Cloud would scout him out first before ending his life. Information was relatively bare on the mark; he knew the name, description, a basic schedule, and that there was no preferred method of dispatch, so long as the body would be found. The vampire found it a bit out of the ordinary, but it could be to send a message to someone for all he knew.

Cloud found the house and hid in the shadows nearby to watch for any activity. Crouching down he stayed perfectly still, though his mind was still running like it had since the moment he woke up. He really wasn't quite sure what to do if Tifa wouldn't take one of the two offered solutions, maybe wait and see if she became desperate enough to leave that she took one. It was cruel, he knew, but if there was something he learned in his short life it was that it was filled with hard choices.

People passed by, oblivious of the predator in wait in the darkness; Cloud watched the mark's neighbors with interest when they made an appearance. He had to observe them, too, in case they could possibly interfere in a few nights. They came and went and came back again, but the mark had not yet made an appearance. The vampire frowned, and wondered if the schedule relayed to him was in error.

A little while longer a somewhat portly man matching the description of the mark walked by, the man walking quickly as if late. Cloud focused on the man and his visage, the unruly hair and the jewelry adorning fingers and his neck. He narrowed his eyes in thought; this wasn't a particularly wealthy area. Perhaps, he thought, it may be fake jewelry for the sake of impressing someone.

The man finally made his way into his home and after a minute Cloud sent out a suggestion to his mark to open the door to check his mailbox; the man was weak willed enough to follow through without trouble. He would be no trouble to kill in an empty alley. Satisfied, Cloud left after the man locked himself inside his home and went off to walk and gather his thoughts. Tomorrow night, he would follow the man's route to his home.

Keeping to the darkness he took the long way home as he looked up at the stars, so much dimmer in the city than out in the country. He would love if Tifa could see them with him again. A thought flashed through his mind, and he smiled to himself; it wouldn't be such a risk if she pulled up her hood.

Coming to the end of the alley he heard the sound of growls and girly grunts nearby and he rushed off in the direction of the sounds, an image flashed in his head as he came towards the battle. Sneaking behind a corner he made out a woman that had to be much younger than Tifa struggling to battle a single ghoul. His ghoul.

Cloud watched the battle, the ghoul almost ripping out the girl's throat several times as she attempted to dodge the monster's attacks. Finally she threw a vial at it, the liquid inside stunning the beast as he swiped her arm, causing her to cry out a muffled groan. She stabbed the undead creature with a silvery shank and it began to dissolve into ash. Her breaths were harsh and she held her cut arm as she recuperated by a wall.

He walked out from his hiding place, the young woman's eyes widening at his approach. "First time fighting a ghoul?" he inquired, the girl blinking a few times as she tried to make sense of the stranger in front of her. Cloud kept his stance non-threatening, though he was sure his face covering was suspicious. "You must be new if this little guy gave you so much trouble."

"What's it to you, buddy?..." She stared him down, shank gripped in her hand.

Cloud smirked under the fabric covering his mouth and looked down at the remains, giving the pile a gentle kick. It was one less thing to keep watch over; he had no sentimental feelings towards the creature. He preferred the river and the creatures within for discarding bodies when needed as it was. He glanced back up at her. "You're not very good at fighting."

The obvious rookie huffed, eyes flashing with annoyance. "What is this, a test? Who are you?" She looked him up and down, narrowing her eyes as she skirted the wall a few steps, putting more space between the two.

"Didn't they teach you to be more careful? Vampires keep ghouls. If the vampire catches you, you might take the place of their pet..." Cloud walked closer to the girl, and he could practically smell the fear pouring of off her now as the realization that she was alone with a vampire struck her. "After they're done playing with you, of course."

The teen's hands were visibly shaking, and as quickly as she could she backed away from the advancing vampire. With one last glare she dashed down an alleyway, and Cloud rolled his eyes. _'That leads to a dead end.'_ He followed at a brisk pace, the girl running through the darkness until the brick wall in the back blocked her path.

"Shit!"

She looked back at Cloud and desperately swung her silver shank at him; he caught her wrist and pried the weapon out of her hand before shoving her to the ground. Cloud bent down and studied her, the quick breaths, the wide eyes, the sweat on her forehead. He held the shank to her neck. "You have to be the worst vampire hunter I've ever had the displeasure of meeting."

The rookie glared at the weapon pointed at herself and then up at Cloud, her jaw clenched tight as she grimaced. Cloud continued to observe the girl as she laid there on the ground, frozen. _'Just another problem needing solving.'_ He brought the tip of the weapon closer. He wanted to finish her off, he wanted to nip this little problem in the bud. The longer Cloud looked at her, however, the more he thought of Tifa. Several tense moments passed, the only sound the labored breathing of the girl as she felt the sharp, cold end of her weapon pressing into her skin. He pressed a little harder, getting her to gasp out a small cry.

With an agitated sigh, Cloud took the shank away from her neck. "Go home, kid."

The teenager blinked several times in an obvious state of disbelief. "What?"

"I said, go home. Don't let me find you out here again, pretending to be a vampire hunter." Cloud stood up, the shank still in his hand. "Because if I do, you'll be my slave until the day you die...If I'm not thirsty that night." He leaped over the wall, leaving the girl to her own devices.

_'What the hell is wrong with me? I had every reason to kill her.'_ He squeezed his fists hard enough to make the leather of his gloves squeak as he quickly made his way back to his home. He studied the weapon in his hand, similar to Tifa's weapon if a bit smaller. A little red ribbon was wrapped around the hilt, and a few small runes were etched at the base of the business end.

Cloud mindlessly entered his home, still thinking and looking over the new souvenir in his possession. He was snapped out of his reverie by a startled gasp, Tifa's hands over her mouth and her saucer like eyes staring at the silver weapon in his hand as she stood near the stairs. "Someone you know?" he asked as he put down his mask and hood.

"You...oh God, Rox..." Her eyes were becoming watery.

"Young and sassy, with short black hair?" He watched as tears started to fall onto her cheeks, Tifa's nod barely discernible. Maybe it was a good thing he didn't kill her. "She's fine."

Tifa put her hands down, naked surprise on her face. "What?" she almost whispered.

"I didn't kill her. I just took her weapon, I swear." He hoped she would believe him, it's not like he smelled like blood, after all.

She tilted her head to the side, studying the vampire as he looked back. "Why?"

He shrugged. "Because I'm an idiot," he said matter-of-factly.

Tifa wiped her eyes with the back of her jacket's sleeve, a sniffle leaving her nose before she released a quivering sigh. "I...Thank you." Her face came into view as she put her arm down, her warm red eyes still wet but her mouth twitched upwards into a smile. Cloud nodded at her thanks before he left for his room upstairs. He locked the weapon away with Tifa's in a chest by the wall, tossed his gloves and hooded cowl onto his bed and then went downstairs to the kitchen as Tifa hid her face in a book as she sat on the couch. He felt a faint smile form on his lips, delighted to have seen the smallest of smiles on her face.

He filled his teapot and put it on the stove, then listened to Squeak as he crawled onto the table; the two mostly kept to themselves while he was gone, but he had caught the woman trying to keep back tears at one point. Cloud bit his lip, wondering how much inner turmoil the situation was causing his friend.

The teapot sounded and he fished out two mugs and teabags, filling them in silence. Again he waited until the tea was ready, discarding the bags and taking the mugs to the living room. Tifa glanced up at him from her book, then took the offered cup. "It's a little stuffy in here, isn't it?"

She shrugged as she blew on her tea. "It's not like I can go outside and get some fresh air," she said, defeated.

Cloud smiled down at her and offered his hand. "Maybe not out the front door, but...would you like to see the stars with me, Tifa?"

Tifa gave him a perplexed look as well as her hand, standing up and following him up the stairs, curiosity piqued. There was a door near his bedroom that lead to the flat roof of his home, a place he rarely visited. It was sealed like the front door, so he wasn't worried about showing her and then waking up to her gone.

"Put up your hood..." She did so, and Cloud opened the simple white door, Tifa gasping happily as the cool spring air hit her face. He watched as she smiled at the twinkling stars above them, and he took her to a darker corner of the roof. They sat next to each other, the vampire sitting to Tifa's right. "I thought you could use some fresh air."

He heard her sip her tea. "Thank you."

He grunted. "It's nothing." Cloud looked up at the stars and low hanging moon, then looked down at her as she kept her eyes to the sky. "I'm...I'm sorry I yelled at you last night."

Tifa looked back at him, the moon and stars dancing in her eyes in a way that tortured Cloud. "It's alright. I...I just..." She turned to her mug, then sighed loudly. "This is so hard."

He nodded, sipping his tea. They were silent for many minutes as they gazed at the sky, Cloud overwhelmed with a sense of nostalgia. "You made me promise to save you when you were in a pinch under these stars, seven years ago."

Tifa hummed, and he took a short glance at her to see a pained face. "I thought...oh, never mind."

"What?"

"Nothing..."

He decided it was best not to force her and he turned back, looking again at the stars. They always reminded him of Tifa, at first how he would come back to her, then how he failed her, and now how he hoped to get through to her. He brought a hand up to run his fingers through his hair, then heard a surprised hum from Tifa. He turned to face her, brows up.

"What's that?" she asked, pointing at his wrist.

He sat his mug down on the ground and looked at whatever Tifa had noticed. "Hm? Oh. It's the bracelet you gave me before I left." He studied it fondly.

"You...kept that?"

Cloud glanced back up at her before looking down at it again. "I've worn it ever since you gave it to me. I didn't have anything else to remember you by..." It wasn't what one would consider a manly piece in the least, but the day she presented it to him his heart nearly burst out of his chest. He only ever took it off to shower, and it was a constant reminder of Tifa and what he left behind; a bittersweet token he relished. Cloud could feel Tifa's eyes burning a hole through his wrist, her fingers skimming the surface of the glass beads, as if it would confirm it really was the same one she gifted him all those years ago.

She put her mug down and covered her face with her knees as she gripped her legs, shaking her head a few times. Cloud looked back at her, her shoulders quivering and nose sniffling. He bit his lip, unsure what to do or why she was suddenly beginning to cry. "Tifa?"

Tifa shuddered an exhale and squeezed her knees tighter. "Cloud...why did it have to end up like this, Cloud?"

He couldn't answer her question, only wishing they both had met under happier circumstances as he rubbed her back in silence. She flinched at the touch at first, but relaxed back into her sorrow as the moments wore on.


	6. No Going Back

Tifa sat next to Cloud on the couch, still emotionally jarred from the confirmation that it really was Cloud and no one else last night. Why else would he keep the silly little bangle? It didn't even match his usual, dark outfit. She took a glance at the vampire next to her, an awkward look on his pale face as he tapped his fingers on a knee.

Cloud had left earlier, no doubt for a mark of his before coming back hours later. The thought of her friend doing such things made her cringe, even after he argued it was the best way for him and others to feed. _'He said whether or not it was him or not the assassin's guild would still be taking the marks.'_ Tifa couldn't argue with that logic, another human or vampire would take the job up if he wasn't there. Still, it irked her that _he_ was the one doing it.

_'At least he didn't kill Rox...'_ When Cloud had returned home with that familiar shank in hand she thought the worst had happened to the young woman she was supposed to be assisting with weaker jobs. She was only sixteen, taken in by the guild six months ago after a vampire had laid waste to her family before the hunters could intervene. The only reason she believed Cloud hadn't killed her was because he didn't smell of blood when he entered the house, and she was grateful if confused why he showed an act of mercy to a stranger training to kill things like him.

To add to her thoughts, she missed the comfort of the cathedral and the half dozen hunters that she socialized and worked with. Tifa wondered how she could be reunited with them again; she knew Cloud wouldn't want her working for them again, but if she could just outlast his guild's search...Would they look for her after a month or think she was dead already? Maybe they would search the cathedral for her.

Again she looked at Cloud, the vampire a personal conundrum. Despite everything she was certain she couldn't do the deed that she had planned for so long. Not just because he truly was her childhood friend, but because he had put himself in a risky situation by hiding her away. _'I'm a vampire hunter, but what kind of friend would I be if I repaid his trust like that?'_ It pulled at her heartstrings, with all the various factors involved.

"I guess Zack's running late," Cloud mumbled, looking towards the door.

Tifa just wanted to get this over with so there would be no more strange incidents involving Zack. Was this vampire so worried she would kill Cloud? The thought was flattering that a vampire feared her, however. "For someone so worried about you, I would have thought he would show up earlier."

"I called him when I woke up."

She frowned. "Why didn't he just call you last night? Or you call him?"

He chuckled humorlessly. "It's his way of pushing the meeting, he would have come over regardless. Since you agreed to talk with him tonight, he said he would come by later."

Tifa nodded, she had told Cloud that evening she would if just to get that particular monkey off of her back. She began to wonder how many calls and texts were on her phone, wherever it was hidden in the house. Tifa was certain Rox had called a dozen times since she went missing, maybe a handful from other guild members, and at least one from Aerith. This was her fourth night in the vampire's lair.

There was a knock on the door and soon Zack entered, the vampire walking towards the couch opposite the other two after a quick greeting. He sat down and rubbed his hands together between his knees. "So, you're Tifa?"

Tifa nodded. _'This is Cloud's friend. Okay...let's see what kind of company he keeps.'_

Zack smiled at her. "It's nice to meetcha. Cloud talked about a good friend of his who lived in his hometown."

"That would be me..." she said, watching the vampire intently.

Zack rubbed the back of his head. "I guess in regards to you two, fate has a sick sense of humor."

Tifa let loose a humored huff. "I'd have to agree with you on that, Zack. So, you're...worried, I'm going to hurt Cloud while he's asleep..." She again glanced over at her childhood friend, her eyes looking deeply into his for a moment before returning them to Zack. "That would be kind of rude at this point."

His grin grew more relaxed. "You're not an impolite vampire hunter, then?"

"I should hope not..." Tifa put her hands together, pointing them at Zack. "I probably don't know you as well as you know me, and I'd like to know Cloud's friends better."

Zack clapped his hands together. "Well, I met Cloud about six years ago at a fall festival, and we were makin' fun of the owner of the petting zoo 'cause he was saying how he was from the country side, but he couldn't name off the breed of goat or chickens he had." He looked upwards in thought, smiling. "Cloud told the owner that unless he wanted someone to lose a finger he should put the Nibel goat in the stall."

Cloud snickered next to Tifa, and she looked over as he began to speak. "He said I was full of it and tried to pet it on the nose. I'm sure you know how that went, Tifa."

She found her hand partially covering her mouth as it twitched upwards; she was well aware of how ornery the goats of the Nibel region were, having watched one kick a villager into a wooden fence as they tried to cross the pasture.

Zack chuckled, and Tifa brought her attention back to him. "It turned out we were both country boys! He was a cadet that patrolled the sector I lived in, so I'd meet him on his nights off or if he wanted to hang out after his shift."

"I guess I should have asked why we never hung out during the day," Cloud said.

"Having too much fun, I suppose!"

Tifa frowned. "Did you...change him?" Was the news of his demise incorrect?

Zack shook his head while waving his hands in front of him. "No no no. I helped him get back on his feet after it happened."

Cloud interrupted. "When I fought those things the night I died...Zack explained that sometimes, those shadowy wraiths can inflict the curse of undeath to their victims." He shrugged. "It's like some sort of magical disease on dead bodies. Usually, victims end up as ghouls or some other mindless thing, but rarely they end up like me."

Tifa glanced back and forth at the two. She had known of the different ways one could become a vampire, the most well known in popular culture being through another vampire. But that was only the most surefire way, wraiths being an uncommon sight and rare vector. Zack continued on with the story. "I had this strange feeling Cloud was gonna...er, make it. In a sense. I got his burial prepared and everything so he wouldn't have to dig his way out of a coffin, then I helped keep him outta trouble until he could fend for himself."

She looked down at her feet. _'So this is what happened to Cloud five years ago. What would he have been like without Zack?'_ Tifa knew Cloud didn't make friends easily. Was this the only person he had to confide in, so far from Nibelheim? "It's still hard to think about...drinking blood..."

"Yeah, it sucks, doesn't it?" Zack scratched his cheek, completely oblivious to the pun he just made; Cloud let out a soft groan. "I've been part of the assassin's guild for a good sixty years now, so I'm only ever taking from people who are gonna die anyway...I guess that doesn't make it any better to you."

"They're innocent people."

He nodded. "Sometimes. Sometimes not. I'm just there to do it quickly." Zack looked apologetic, as if thinking too hard on the subject bothered him as much as it did Tifa. She glanced at Cloud, her friend holding his gaze towards the edge of the coffee table as he played with his fingers.

A thought crossed her mind, and she chewed the inside of her cheek. How many servants did she help kill that could have been rescued, at her trainer's orders? _'Are my hands bloody, too...? No, it was for a good cause...but...'_

"I wasn't really thrilled with that part of the whole vampire deal, either," Cloud mumbled as their eyes met.

Tifa wondered if it became akin to killing farm animals for food to the two, the action necessary if uncomfortable to dwell on. She decided to change the subject. "So, I guess Zack's something of a teacher to you?"

Cloud nodded. "Yeah. It wasn't without hiccups, though."

She raised a brow, curious. "What kind of hiccups?"

He looked away, gripping the fabric of his pants. "Well...you know how vampires can...turn into things, right?"

She hummed an affirmative, she had seen it in the past. Wolves and bats were the most common forms they used that strange, innate magic for.

"Zack...tried to teach me how to turn into a bat. He said all I had to do was jump off the building he took me to, and focus." He bit his lip before turning his head and giving Tifa a shy glance under his bangs. "I fell five stories onto my face."

Tifa brought a hand to her mouth as the scenario ran through her head. "You...jumped off a building." She looked away, shoulders shaking as she tried to suppress her laughter. It didn't help that it replayed again and again in her mind, and she pursed her lips.

Zack spoke up. "He tried waving his arms halfway down."

She let out a snort and began to laugh, glancing over at Cloud as he also pursed his lips and flared his nose, arms crossed over his chest. He made eye contact with her, then graced her with a shy smile as he let out a short chuckle.

"I think I feel a bit better about you stayin' with Spike," Zack said as he stretched.

Tifa's brows furrowed. _'Spike...?'_ She looked back at Cloud, her eyes going to his golden locks. _'Oh.'_

Cloud rolled his eyes. "What are you, my father?"

"Someone's gotta watch after you!" He stood up and leaned towards Tifa a little, stretching his hand out. "Thanks a lot for talking to me, Tifa. And...if you could watch after him too, I'd appreciate it." She tentatively went to reach for his hand as an act of politeness, though she found the vampire to have a likeable personality. The last several days had been mentally fatiguing and it was no different tonight with vampires acting the complete opposite of how they should be acting. Even if it was refreshing.

She nodded. "I will."

He left quietly after a final wave goodbye, and the two sat in silence on the couch. Cloud spoke up as his eyes followed Squeak, the rat scampering up the stairs after skirting the wall. "Have you made a decision yet?" His voice was quiet and hesitant.

"No." They were more like bad jokes in her opinion. There had to be another way, she thought.

Cloud nodded. "Let me know if you come up with something that suits us both." He stood up and stretched, before looking down at Tifa. "Leave me a list of things you need at the store...I'll see you tonight." He turned to walk up the stairs, then disappeared into the darkness. Tifa sighed heavily, wondering how to satisfy both of them just enough. Soon enough she found herself back in her room, reading at first and then drifting off to sleep.

* * *

_"Tifa, you came!"_

_"I can't be gone for long, Cloud. Papa doesn't like when I'm out this late." Tifa climbed the last few rungs onto the top of the old well._

_Cloud rubbed the back of his neck, his blush dark in the starlight. "Sorry."_

_She gave him a reassuring smile. "It's alright. What did you need, Cloud?" Tifa sat next to him, the two dangling their legs over the edge of the well and staring at the night sky._

_He puffed out his chest. "This coming spring, I'm gonna go to Midgar and join their military."_

_Anxiety panged in her heart. "Oh. I guess that means...you won't be back for a while."_

_"At least four years, if I don't decide to stay longer." Cloud looked at Tifa as her gaze fell to him, the stars swirling in his eyes. "I'll come back...maybe I can take Mr. Grunn's place, he's gettin' old."_

_Mr. Grunn was one of Nibelheim's guards. Tifa smiled at the thought, she could stand a few years apart if he was going to come back. "So, you're gonna be a hero, huh?"_

_He blushed again. "It'd be nice."_

_"You're strong enough as it is...Hey, if you're gonna be a strong warrior...promise me that if I'm ever in a pinch, you'll come help me."_

_"Huh?"_

_"Come on, promise me, Cloud!"_

_"What if I'm not around?"_

_Tifa huffed. "It's only if you're around, goober!"_

_Cloud grinned, then nodded. "I promise, Tifa. If you're ever in trouble, I'll be there for you."_

_She grinned back, then they both turned towards the stars again. Silently in her mind, she made the same promise to him. 'I'm not helpless, and neither are you, Cloud. But if you need my help, I'll be there for you, too. I promise.'_

* * *

Tifa finished her breakfast, glancing at Squeak as he munched on a piece of cheese she had reluctantly given the rodent as a peace offering after he had stayed out of her way for the last couple of nights. He had seemed to accept it happily. _'Don't even think we'll be friends after that little joke, rat.'_ Still, better to get on each other's nicer sides, considering she didn't know how much longer she would have to be here. It was the cusp of the second night since meeting Zack and neither she nor Cloud were any closer to a compromise.

Cleaning her dishes and putting them away, she went to the living room to stretch and do a few katas. Tifa felt much stronger this afternoon as she tested her body, a happy sigh passing her lips as her body remembered the movements she had neglected after almost a week. She wasn't rusty, but she had skipped out on her practice for longer than she liked.

Squeak looked at her with a cocked head as he sat on the top of the couch, and she turned her head to look at him. "I know martial arts. I don't wanna get rusty."

He went onto his hind legs and stretched one foreleg out and tucked another in, mimicking her stance. Squeak wobbled a bit and fell onto the cushions with a tiny grunt, Tifa chuckling at the rodent. "I don't think rats can do this."

After she was finished Tifa went to the kitchen again to check the time; she hadn't noticed the wall clock since she came here, so many other things were bothering her mind. It was getting closer to sunset, and it would be yet another night where she and Cloud met an impasse. Still, he kept her as his guest despite her original hostility. It wasn't that she wasn't upset with the situation and with him, but a big part of her was relieved that the guild was incorrect. At least in regards to Cloud and Zack. She had missed him terribly, and despite the tragic nature of the situation a large part of her was relieved he was still around. Especially since if her guild had been correct she would probably be dead right now, she mused.

Tifa went back to the living room to peruse the books, peeking at a monster manual on the top shelf. As she took it a familiar sound twinkled in her ears, and she gasped as she twisted around to face the front door. Walking and stopping midway from the entrance, she looked at Squeak and motioned for him to hide, hoping she got her point across. He skittered underneath the couch to her relief.

She heard muffled voices on the other side, her arms coming up to her chest as if in anticipation for an attack.

"Finally, this's the place. Keep an eye out for servants."

The door handle jiggled, then the end of a blade ripped through the wood, one, two, three times in an effort to dislodge the lock. The dusky glow of the last rays of the golden sun billowed in, the sight welcome despite Tifa's anxiety.

More dull light burst through as the door was kicked open, and Tifa tensed. Heavy footsteps stomped on the hardwood floor as a tall, muscular, gray silhouette came forward. She barely had a chance to dodge the projectile that flew towards her chest from behind the man in front of her, who wore a protective leather vest and brown braided hair. "Hey! Stop it!" She narrowed her eyes. "It's me, Tifa!"

She heard a short gasp. "So this is what happened to you, Tifa. A vampire's servant..." said a deep, sad and disgusted voice.

That voice belonged to Regis Knollgrove, a veteran vampire hunter Tifa had worked with before. She huffed at the accusation. "No, I am not! I haven't been forced into servitude," she said with an indignant tone. "Just...listen to me!"

"Tifa!" came a sharp voice. Huey, a man about her age that was probably along for training. "Oh, Tifa. what happened to yeh?"

"Huey! She'll only speak lies now, she's under the vampire's thumb!"

Tifa huffed. "No, I'm not under his thumb at all." She hesitated; there was no way they would believe her without perhaps a holy water bath. "If you could give me some holy water-"

Regis shook his head. "It's too late for that now," he said quietly as he brought up his sacred axe. "Huey, prepare yourself."

"But we're friends!" Tifa looked at Huey, the young man uncertain as he put another metal projectile into his crossbow. "Huey, please listen to me!"

"Master Regis...are yeh sure we can't bring her back?"

"Huey, former vampire hunters are exceedingly dangerous foes because of former bonds," Regis said as he gave a calculating look towards Tifa, weapon at the ready. "I'll end this quickly little Tifa, and then we'll finish off your bastard master."

She narrowed her eyes. "The least you can do? You wouldn't even try to free me first if I was?!" Tifa dodged the silver axe as it came down at her, then narrowly missed the next arrow that was aimed at her chest. "And he's not my master!"

"We don't 'ave much time left, Master Regis!" Huey said after a quick glance at the fading light at the door, then aimed at Tifa again, his green eye lining the sights. "I'm so sorry, lass." He shot, grazing her arm and tearing into the books far behind her. "Orders's orders," he said lowly.

Tifa twisted around and roundhouse kicked Regis in the face, the impact hurting her naked foot but causing him to stumble backwards from the force. She quickly took a couch cushion and flung it at Huey, the next bolt flying into Regis' shoulder with an angry shout. She pressed the advantage and striked Regis several times in the face in an attempt to knock him out and hopefully get Huey to drag him away before Cloud woke up; no one had to die tonight, if they would just leave. In his anger Regis punched Tifa in the gut as she came in for another swing, dropping her to the floor next to the stairwell from the powerful uppercut. "Huey...don't...listen to him...!" She struggled onto her hands and knees, gasping for air. "I'm...not a...servant!"

"Lassy..." Huey bit his lip, glancing back and forth between the two.

Regis snapped his head back at the rookie. "Stop feeling, start thinking, or you die!"

Huey let out a heavy sigh, glancing at Tifa as she tried to recover. He nodded.

"Please, just leave..." she rasped.

"Finish her while I take care of that monster upstairs before it wakes up!" Regis said shortly. He took several heaving breaths as he spoke, then walked towards the stairs.

Tifa looked between the two as Regis disappeared and Huey put in another arrow. _'Cloud. I...promised, too. No, you can't die like this!'_ She gritted her teeth before lurching towards the stairs; Huey had made the error of taking his eyes off of her. She grabbed Regis around the neck, the master grabbing her loose shirt with his free hand and wrestling her off his back as he crouched down, Tifa landing on her back, feet facing the second floor. "Master Regis, just leave!" she pleaded. "This isn't what you think it is!" She pushed herself away from the axe strike that had been intended for her head, uprighting herself and kicking Regis down the stairs with a hard kick of her feet as he attempted to dislodge his weapon.

She noticed Regis had almost bowled over Huey, the young man dodging by inches. He glared at his former companion and raised the crossbow quickly, aiming for her heart. Her breaths were shaky with emotion and pain, and she tensed. Tifa needed time to recuperate and she didn't have enough room to dodge the arrow this time. She had enough time to think about how ironic it was that her death would not be by the fangs of a vampire, but the projectile stake of a vampire hunter as she tried to stall their advance on Cloud's room. Everything that occurred in the last five years meant nothing now, they wouldn't listen to her.

She jumped at the sound of a scream and the crossbow's release, and she herself screamed in pain as she snapped her head to look at her shoulder; the arrow had carved out a small chunk of her shoulder as it whizzed by, embedding into the stairs. Turning back her eyes widened, Squeak was tearing into Huey's throat with sharp teeth and little claws as the vampire hunter struggled to get the large rat off, his blood pouring out of the wound more and more before he finally dislodged the servant and flung him into a wall with a sickening thud. He held his hand to his neck in an attempt to stop the heavy flow as he gasped his breaths in a panic.

Tifa was shaken out of her stupor as Regis recovered, the man releasing a cure spell on Huey as he crouched on the floor in a growing pool of his own blood. Regis turned to Tifa, the pugilist pushing herself up the stairs clumsily as the master recovered his axe. "May the Planet give you a life free of the undead after this one is finished." He brought up the axe, advancing on his former underling.

"Master Regis...why?"

About to bring the axe down upon her head he paused a moment to explain in a quiet voice. "A vampire hunter who fails at their craft...is irredeemable." He swung.

Tifa closed her eyes and held her breath before hearing a slam and feeling a wisp of air above her head, and a panicked grunt. Peeking, there was someone next to her, and glancing straight ahead, Regis sported a look of shock and horror as her protector gripped the vampire hunter's wrist.

" _You're_ irredeemable," Cloud's voice growled with a barely contained rage.

"You monster...!" Regis whipped out a strange golden icon, Cloud releasing a hissing groan as the master pressed it towards the vampire. Tifa mustered the strength to kick Regis hard in the face, and Cloud took the opportunity to knock the icon out of his opponent's hand before tackling him down to the first floor. Tifa watched the short struggle unfold, the spiky headed vampire slashing Regis' face open with lengthened claws. The vampire hunter let out a scream from the pain, his face quickly painted red.

"As if you're any different!" Cloud bit down on Regis' neck, cutting off the man's death wail. Tifa looked away and covered her ears, eyes to her bruised and blood splotched feet. Her shoulder burned and bled, her gut felt bruised and it hurt to put pressure on her right foot. She held herself like that for what seemed like an eternity, her vision warped from growing tears.

"Why did it turn out like this...?" she whispered to herself after a long while.

She felt a cool, gentle hand on her forearm, digits wrapping around the area below her wrist. Tifa glanced up, Cloud looking her over as he held an injured Squeak in his other hand. He cringed at the bloody shoulder injury, handing her Squeak and tearing off some of his shirt to bandage the wound; she moaned in pain as the fabric touched the sensitive area. "Regis has a materia on him...please."

"I know it hurts, Tifa, but let me try and take care of this mess first." He finished bandaging her arm and then picked her up bridal style as she cupped Squeak in her arms, finding herself in her bedroom. Cloud rubbed her forehead with his thumb, his face a concerned mess. "I'll be back soon, okay? No one else is gonna hurt you tonight." He left after a lingering glance at her and Squeak.

Tifa bit her lip as she thought about the two who sealed their fates this evening. Huey was either unconscious or dead, or soon to be dead when Cloud got around to finishing him off. She blinked; Huey had been a friend that shared silly jokes with her and sometimes did practical jokes on the priests. Master Regis had always been stern but occasionally she would catch him chuckling about some silly thing or another. She had attended a hunt in sector three with him several months ago, the scene a blood bath.

Now they were both gone, and there was no way she could ever show herself to the guild again, even if they didn't know she was responsible for delaying them until Cloud woke up. If only they had listened! She covered her face in her hands. This was all wrong. She had heard nothing of a new hunt before she was spirited away, and now two people she knew, two people she had considered friends recently were dead. _'What was I supposed to do? They would have killed me! Cloud had more reason to kill me than they did.'_

Squeak seemed to pick up her silent turmoil, the rat cooing his squeaks at her as he laid on her abdomen, leaning on her crossed arms. Tifa sniffled and gave a pained smile as she looked at the rodent. "I wish I knew what you wanted to say, Squeak..." She rubbed his chin as gently as she could, the large black rat leaning into her finger. "Thank you for saving me earlier." Tifa swore Squeak grinned before curling back up and resting again, and despite the pain her shoulder was in she closed her eyes in search of a small nap as she awaited a magical solution to soothe her aching injuries.

Her mind flashed to Cloud as she tried to rest. She made her choice this evening, and it wasn't in favor of her old life as a vampire hunter. There was no going back from where she was going now.


	7. On the Lam

Cloud put away his cellphone before grabbing a sleeveless white shirt from his drawer and quickly putting it on after discarding the one he ruined with blood and from patching Tifa's arm. Zack was on his way to his place, and the thought was reassuring after the close call earlier. There were two bodies downstairs and a busted door exposing his lair to anyone that meandered through the little illusion he had put over the entrance.

He rummaged through his chest, finding the cure materia he acquired off a mark years ago. Cloud made his way towards Tifa's room; Squeak had told him everything, his friend attempting to get them to listen to her and leave in a desperate attempt to save them. _'She would have had better luck convincing a wall.'_ They weren't expecting her there, or they would have been better prepared, he reasoned. Tifa saved him this evening, cementing his faith in her.

Cloud squeezed the glowing bauble in his hand before walking towards the guest room. Opening the door, he glanced at the two. They both seemed to be sleeping, so he took slow, quiet steps towards the bed before looking them over again. He crouched down, looking at his servant first. Squeak had been thrown against a wall as he assisted Tifa, and his little body was trying to recover from the broken ribs and possibly a concussion. Cloud poked the rodent awake as the thought entered his mind, then used the materia as Squeak let out a high pitched hum of relief. The rat stretched and shook his head about before lifting himself up and running out of the room.

Satisfied with the results, he very gently put his hand on Tifa's good shoulder; she grunted and moved her head side to side before opening her eyes. "Cloud..."

"Hold still..." The orb glowed in the dim light of the room, and the vampire stretched out the hand holding the materia over Tifa. He focused, and soon heard his friend sigh in sweet relief as the magic began to knit her back together. It would still take time for her to completely recover, but he mused that she should be able to walk about without issue. "How's that?"

Tifa smiled at him before sitting up in bed as he helped her up. "Thank you."

"It's the least I can do. I...know that must've been hard on you."

She turned to look at her hands as they laid in her lap. "It was." Tifa shook her head. "How did they even find you?" she whispered.

Cloud shrugged. He honestly had no idea how they pinpointed his location considering his low profile. "If you don't know how they found me, I'm at a loss." The vampire was annoyed at how unprepared he had been; now he knew why older vampires kept multiple servants now. _'I was warned but didn't want to deal with the hassle.'_

Tifa bit her lip then looked back into his eyes, a deadly serious expression on her face. "We have to get out of here before daybreak. Master Regis always made it a habit to write down where his quarry was located, or the general area in case something like this happened."

He chewed the inside of his cheek, looking towards the door and then back at Tifa. "How long until they get suspicious?"

She tapped her hand on her lap, looking upwards as she thought. Her eyes came back to Cloud's. "I have no idea. They could be worried already if Regis left early but they probably won't send out a scout until daybreak." Tifa let out a sigh. "It's too dangerous to go after an angry vampire...They'll be stretched out for sure, now. Huey, Regis and I are missing. That leaves four left in the area."

"That's all?"

Tifa shrugged. "At that specific cathedral. There were three experienced vampire hunters, one being Regis...Then there were three rookies besides me, and Huey was one. Rox is the newest member, and the least experienced. She's considered more a student and less an actual hunter."

Cloud raised his brows. "Are you telling me your guild was that small?" His own boasted thirty members in the city, and had strong connections to the branch in Junon and operatives in surrounding, larger towns.

"Each church or cathedral in the city holds at least two, it's not like they're the only ones in the city." She started to move her legs towards the edge of the bed, flexing her feet. "When people don't believe in the undead, it's rather difficult to find members for my...former...guild." Tifa let out a humorless chuckle. "They were supposed to get some help soon, but I don't know when or how."

Cloud wondered how much of a psychological toll the evening had taken on Tifa, he understood the situation would be hard on anyone. "Well, I need to figure out what to do."

Tifa rubbed her scalp, her fingers running through her thick brown hair. She put her hands down and tilted her head to the side a little. "You need to find a new place to live."

He stood up and helped his friend stand up. "That'll take a while, Tifa." It had taken him months to find and fix up the house he lived in now. "We need a place that can accommodate us both."

"Both?"

Cloud nodded. "There's no way I'm letting you go off on your own. Not after tonight."

Tifa put her hands on her hips. "I'm capable of taking care of myself, Cloud."

He crossed his arms, a stern look crossing his pale face. "Like you were this evening?"

She glowered at him. "If you hadn't _sucked_ so much blood out of me this week I'm sure I would have been fine until you woke up!"

"Maybe you shouldn't have tried to run off!" He narrowed his eyes.

"What was I supposed to do? I wake up bound in a dark basement and I'm supposed to believe you right off the bat?"

He groaned. "Why are you so unreasonable, even now? Did the last few nights mean anything to you? What about what just happened?" She gave him a small pout and Cloud's eyes softened as he held her hands. "I'm worried, Tifa. After seven years I see you again and...you almost died trying to protect me. You could have just left me and ran off, but you didn't. Please, let me have your back, like I said I would."

Tifa looked down at their hands, sighing. "I still don't want to..."

"I know." Cloud bit the side of his lip, thinking. He wouldn't pressure her into something she didn't want to do, but it would complicate things for the both of them if his guild found out. "I have a lot of gil saved up...Maybe we could skip town for a while until everything calms down."

Tifa opened her mouth to protest, but looked down a moment in contemplation before looking back at Cloud. "Where would you suggest?"

He put a hand to his hip, thinking. "How about Junon? It's close enough we can get there before sunrise and it's far away enough that you won't be wanted by my guild."

"Oh. Well...how long?"

Cloud looked at the fingers of his other hand. "I have no idea, but if we move there for a while I'm sure we can come back to Midgar after everything's taken care of." He brought his eyes back to Tifa, hoping she would take her chances with him. If they stayed away long enough the guild would forget about her and in the meantime, they would be looking for moles; attempting the life of an operative of the guild that happened to be a vampire was something they wouldn't tolerate.

She rubbed her face, then sighed heavily. "I don't have a choice at the moment anyway. Wait. I need my clothing..."

"I'll give you money to buy new clothing." To him it wasn't an issue. _'I guess I finally have someone to spend this cash on...'_

She raised a brow. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." A hard knock issued from downstairs before she could reply. Cloud tensed as he walked towards the bedroom door, then relaxed as Squeak let him know it was Zack. He turned to look at Tifa. "It's Zack. I'll be back soon, so in the mean time if you wanna collect your things..."

"I think you took most of my things," she said curtly.

He nodded. "I'll give you the rest after I'm finished downstairs." With that he turned and left, Zack greeting him with a worried expression after looking up from the two bodies. Cloud told his friend what had happened in detail as they carefully moved the corpses through dark and abandoned alleys, dumping them in the nearby channel that flowed into the river and then out into the bay; the two removed whatever identification and materia from the bodies they could find before doing the deed.

Returning they kept a look out for any more trouble, though it seemed it was still too early for the guild to panic. "So you're leavin' us for a time, huh?" Zack inquired.

"Yeah. I'm gonna take us to Junon for a while, and after everything calms down I'll come back to look for another place to stay...A place that's harder to get in to." If he hadn't taken Tifa in, he would have been a goner, the thought ironic. Cloud started to ponder if he should have another servant besides just Squeak to watch over the new house as he slept. _'Maybe something that creeps people out...or maybe a monster? Last night was too close a call.'_

"That might be a while, buddy."

Cloud shrugged. "I was targeted this evening. Until we know how they found me, I'd feel safer outside of the city."

Zack sighed but nodded in agreement. "Faster we find out what's goin' on, the sooner I'll see ya again."

"Yeah."

He didn't want a repeat of this evening, the scene replaying as he walked in silence with Zack. As soon as he had woken up that evening he had heard Tifa struggling and Squeak trying to communicate in panicked bursts that there were vampire hunters in the house. He had opened his door so forcefully that the knob left a hole in the wall, and he barely reached Tifa in time to save her. He bit his lip as he remembered that sadness that marred her pretty face, her cheeks wet from silent tears.

The two made it through the entrance, Tifa leaning against the couch as a backpack hung on a shoulder with Squeak sitting on the top of the sofa. Zack gave a friendly wave to the two, Tifa returning the gesture. She glanced over at the dried blood on the floor, a sad look crossing her face before returning her gaze back to the two. "Whenever you're ready."

"Give me a few minutes to collect some stuff." Cloud left the others and fetched a backpack he had in the corner of his room, finding what he considered essentials or items he didn't want stolen by the vampire hunter's guild during his absence. His materia, the wrapped up sacred weapons, the magical tomes gifted to him by Zack, his collection of letters from both Tifa and his mother and several sets of clothing before illusioning his skin to a healthier tone. Finally he placed his sheath on his back and assembled and collected his swords, then grabbed up the things he confiscated from Tifa before leaving and sealing the room. He looked back one more time, sighing at the thought of how close both he and Tifa had come to death such a short while ago.

"Thanks a lot for watching out for Cloud, Tifa," Zack said as the three waited for their friend to finish upstairs.

Tifa nodded. "He's my friend, so..." Zack smiled, then the both of them looked towards the staircase as Cloud reached the last step. Tifa looked him up and down; the low light of the living room made it difficult to detect but his skin looked far less pale. Tifa knew it was just an illusion, but she was curious. How did it look with better lighting?

Cloud walked over and gave Tifa her things: materia, keys, her cellphone and fighting gloves. "I'm ready when you are."

She looked down, holding her cell phone a moment before putting it in her jacket pocket; she was happy to have it back but she knew she couldn't use it for the time being. Still, better with her than in the hands of strangers. Tifa brought up her hood, hiding her features as best she could. "I'm ready."

Turning to Tifa, Cloud motioned for her to go after Zack as Squeak sneaked into her backpack through an opening. She looked back as the rat's tail slipped inside, then his head poked out to look about his surroundings. Tifa hesitated at the entrance, as if something could swoop down and kill her if she left, then she moved towards Zack. Looking back as she stood near Zack, Tifa watched as Cloud left and brought the broken door to barely seal the lair.

"Guess I'll have to try extra hard to find a place when we get back," Cloud said.

"Hm." Tifa looked ahead, then glanced at Cloud. "In the meantime, maybe we can make up for lost time." She was sure they would have a chance to catch up further while they were in Junon.

Cloud nodded, giving a barely discernible smile in the darkness. The two vampires kept close to the woman just in case any from their guild was prowling about. They continued on towards the train station in silence, the sidewalk occasionally shared with a stranger going home. Tifa looked up at the sky, the stars hard to see with the lights of a still awake city glowing at this early hour of the night.

"Man, it's gonna suck without you here to keep me company," Zack pouted.

"It won't be forever, Zack...I'll bring you a souvenir," Cloud mumbled with a half smile. "I was gonna visit Nibelheim, anyway. But..."

They finally made it to the train station, Tifa wincing at the bright lights of the large terminal. She glanced over at Cloud, noticing the slight almond tan and freckles dancing on his cheeks as if the magic could pick up that he was forever a country boy at heart; she resisted staring at the familiar visage. The three made their way to the ticket booth, Cloud purchasing tickets for them both.

"Last train to Junon..." Tifa whispered as she looked at her ticket. How long would they truly have to be gone? She looked back at Cloud, her friend saying his good byes to Zack and reassuring him that he would keep in touch, and to stop acting like a mother hen. With one last shoulder pat Cloud turned away and walked towards Tifa, holding his hand out to her.

"Let's mosey."

The three had gotten on the train with no issue, Tifa perplexed that they didn't have their bags checked or his sword confiscated until Cloud looked back at her with a wink as he placed the backpacks into the overhead compartments and his sword under the seats on his side. He was particularly gentle with Tifa's bag, making sure Squeak wouldn't be too uncomfortable during the ride.

Cloud and Tifa sat down across from each other on the plush red seats of the train, their particular cabin sparsely populated. Tifa looked out the window, Zack waving as the train began to lurch. The two waved back until he was out of sight, and the dark and glowing cityscape began to zoom by. She sighed, feeling anxious and sad. Would she ever see her friends again? Rox and Aerith were the two people she was closest to besides Cloud, and he had just recently come back into her life in a less than happy reunion.

"You okay?" Cloud asked.

She glanced over and nodded before returning her gaze to the window. "Yeah."

He grunted, unconvinced. "At least you'll be able to go out on your own."

"Yeah..."

They fell into silence again, the window eventually revealing a moonlit plain with dark mountains far in the distance. Farms dotted the landscape, specks of golden light marking homes both far away and close by. Tifa turned as the sound of squeaky wheels came closer, and a food trolley came into view. An old lady with pale red hair smiled at the two.

"Would you two like anything to eat?"

Tifa's stomach grumbled and Cloud snorted softly before turning to the trolley woman. "Do you have any cinnamon buns?"

Several minutes later and Tifa was happily munching on a hot sticky bun, Cloud watching her from time to time as he sipped on his tea. "You remembered how much I love these," Tifa said after swallowing a bite and washing it down with her hot drink.

He grinned. "How could I forget? You would get them any chance you could when Mrs. Granbille made them in her tea shop."

Tifa chuckled. "Yeah, I did." She looked down at her half eaten treat. _'And you would buy one for me when you had the money.'_ Tifa looked back up into her friend's blue eyes. "Thank you, Cloud."

The train finally made it to Junon, and Tifa glanced at the large clock on the wall of the station; it was three in the morning. Cloud held her hand after putting his backpack on his shoulder, leaving the building for the city by the sea. He took her to a hotel and negotiated with the night manager, procuring a key to a nice if windowless room. There were two beds with good linens and wide wooden drawers, two nightstands and wall sconces to light the room. A television sat on a table in front of a sofa in the room before the bedroom, a table and chairs near the door to their room that held a mini fridge and a coffee maker with supplies. Tifa checked the bathroom, it was stocked with sample supplies that would suit them until they went out for supplies later. 

"Sorry, they didn't have separate rooms available at the time. I hope you don't mind sharing a room," Cloud said, blushing. 

She shook her head. "No. I'll have enough privacy when you're completely out as it is...When will house keeping come by?" she asked. They both were nocturnal. 

"For us, early evening," Cloud replied as he released Squeak. "Because of how busy Junon is at all hours they have a morning and an evening run. Or so the night manager said." 

Tifa nodded in response as she plopped down on a bed, sinking into it. The blankets were soft and cool on her skin. She closed her eyes for a minute, then opened them as she heard a crisp, papery sound near her. Cloud was looking down at her, and he motioned towards his hand. 

"You'll wake up before I do, so today go ahead and find yourself some clothing." 

She looked at the money and begrudgingly took it, looking it over. "Cloud, this is a lot of gil for just clothing." There was about two thousand gil in her hand she noticed. _'I make this in a month with enough jobs from the guild.'_

He looked away and blushed, rubbing the back of his head. "I don't have many needs or wants, so...it's nice to have it go to use, Tifa." Cloud looked back, an uncomfortable look on his face. 

"Thank you...I'll set aside some for bathroom supplies if that's alright." She placed the bills on the nightstand next to her. Glancing at the clock it was almost four thirty now, the night going by quickly. It was nearly time to go to sleep, and she yawned at the thought. "I'm going to take a shower before I go to bed." Tifa took off for the bathroom, wanting to rinse off whatever blood and sweat was caked on her body from earlier. 

* * *

Cloud lounged on his bed after stowing his sword in the closet, Squeak munching on a fruit bar the vampire had bought on the train earlier on the corner of the bed. He stared at the wall and then his bare feet, wondering whether he should go in the other room and perhaps use the television; he decided a book from his backpack would be preferable at this hour. 

He tried to read but found himself distracted by the sound of the shower, and he looked towards the bathroom. Tifa had been equal parts a thorn in his side, a savior, and a breath of fresh air. A chaotic wrecking ball in his quiet, boring life. Cloud wondered if he was doing the right thing in regards to her safety. _'It would be so much easier to just force it on her and let her come to terms with it...I can't. I don't like it when she looks at me with so much hate in her eyes.'_

Cloud checked his phone as it buzzed on his nightstand, Zack messaging him that the guild was alerted to the attempt on his life and his desire to stay in Junon for the time being. They discussed the train ride and their lodgings, Zack responding that he would keep a look out for a new place that would be more difficult to get in to. Cloud hoped his friend would be safe, but as he was told a moment later his servants were a little more intimidating than a rat. No offense to Squeak, Zack assured him. 

He put down his phone again and stared off towards the ceiling, the book cradled in his hand as it laid on his chest. His other hand was tucked under his head. What to do after they were finally in the clear? Would Tifa part from his life again? Even if she kept in contact she would eventually die of old age, leaving him alone again. He had Zack and he cared about him like he was his older brother, but Tifa had his heart. He bit his lip, anxiety rising in his chest again. _'One day at a time...'_

Cloud watched as Tifa reentered the room, wearing a large shirt and shorts and scrambling into her bed. He thought she looked adorable in such a large shirt; he pushed his feelings away, not wanting to torture himself further tonight. Did she have a boyfriend? No, he was sure she would have said something by now if that were the case. _'It doesn't matter. I can't give her a normal life anymore.'_

She nestled under the covers, then turned his way. She studied him a moment before averting her eyes. "On the lam..." 

"Yeah..." he said. 

Tifa settled herself on the bed, then let out a heavy sigh. "I think I'm still in a state of disbelief." 

Cloud looked away as he put his book on the nightstand, then settled on his side facing Tifa. On instinct he rubbed his bracelet, the beads soothing. "I am too." He closed his eyes, wishing he could properly sleep when he wanted to. He opened them a little as Tifa spoke. 

"You like to nap before dawn, don't you?" 

"I just lay down and think about things before everything goes dark," he replied. Did she notice how early he retired on many nights? 

"Hm. I do that too, sometimes. Think until I fall asleep..." Tifa blinked her eyes slowly, her ruby irises half hidden under her eyelids. 

Cloud grinned. "Thinking used to keep me up at night before all this happened." 

Her eyes opened more. "What did you think about that kept you up?" 

He shrugged his exposed shoulder. "You and Ma, things that happened during the day. Sometimes it was pretty rough...I didn't sleep at all one night after another cadet was killed during a routine monster nest extermination." 

"They sent cadets to monster nests?" 

"Sometimes. I had a few close calls out there, myself." He sighed, still rubbing his bracelet. "We had one of the city champions with us if it was a particularly nasty job. I learned what I know about fighting from those years and Zack, when I befriended him. He used to be a city champion." 

Tifa grunted, looking down and then back at Cloud. "I suppose we really do have a lot to catch up on." 

He nodded before turning off the lights with the switch on the wall. He gazed at that lovely face that looked back at him in the dark, her eyes unable to pick up the longing in his own eyes as he watched her settle into the mattress. "Tonight...Good night, Tifa." 

"Good night, Cloud." 


	8. City by the Sea

The last several days had been busy for the two, allowing them to ignore why they were in Junon in the first place for a time. No longer connected to the vampire hunter guild Tifa decided that she needed a more mundane job, though Cloud insisted she could live with him since the rent prices were high in Junon. She saw no harm in it, especially if they had their own rooms again. Tifa didn't mind sharing the bedroom in the hotel with him for a little while, but she would like some more privacy. When would she have a chance to mourn alone for her lost life and friends who feared her dead?

Cloud had been as much a distraction as Junon, however. The two caught up on everything they could, and she felt herself opening a little more to him, a wave of nostalgia coming over her every time they did something they used to do in the past. Tifa couldn't deny it, his quiet, friendly demeanor was something she had craved after seven long years, something she thought she would never experience again. She really had missed him like no other, and she was afraid if she hugged him she wouldn't let go.

His looks appealed to her, his familiar, spiky golden locks and powerful lean muscles; combined with that illusion on his skin he looked as inviting as the day he left Nibelheim. He may be a vampire, she reasoned, but he still looked attractive. She blushed to herself. _'I need to stop doing this to myself...'_

"Tifa?"

She looked over at Cloud. "Hm?"

He pointed at a building nestled in a dark corner of the city, near the bottom of the cliff face. "This place looks promising."

Tifa squinted and cocked her head. It was too dark to make out the condition of the building. "I'll take your word for it, Cloud."

Cloud snorted. "Can't see it all too well, huh? I guess I'll check the inside alone..." he sighed out.

She shook her head, fishing a materia out of one of the pockets of her shorts. "I'll be fine," she said with a grin. He smiled back before opening the abandoned building; occupied homes required permission to enter, but places that hadn't had residents for a while were fair game to vampires. Tifa really wasn't sure why, and Cloud was about as clueless as she was. Magic is magic, he said.

They entered the dusty building and she activated her light materia, both wincing as their eyes adjusted to the light that pierced the darkness. Unlike the last place they investigated, this one actually seemed livable after it was cleaned up a bit. _'A lot of clean up...'_

She went to the second floor as Cloud checked for a possible basement, the building had at least three stories and was a bit wider than his old place. She wondered how long they would have to consider Junon home before they could go back to Midgar; she had a home still with her possessions and that box full of Cloud's things, and she thought it would be nice if she could get a hold of some of it or have someone clean out her fridge at the very least. Tifa grimaced at the thought of the mess that would eventually become.

The second and third floor were similar in their floor plans, both having a large bedroom and several vacant rooms, and roomy bathrooms. Most of the rooms had no windows because of the proximity to the cliff wall, the only windows on the front of the house and a single one in the kitchen that faced an eternally shady alley. The rooms were bare except for the remnants of temporary human habitation from the homeless.

The two met on the first floor, discussing the state of the building in front of the cobweb infested fireplace. Cloud had his fist near his lips as his other hand propped up his elbow. "It looks pretty stable. There's some connectors for a washer and dryer, and the water heater seems to be alright. Just need to connect to the gas and get the pilot going."

Tifa nodded. "There's two floors above us with about the same amount of rooms on each floor...I suppose you can have a floor to yourself and I can have one, too."

Cloud smirked. "I call top floor!" he said as he pointed his finger upwards.

She put her hands on her hips. "Well I guess you'd like quick access to the roof, bat boy."

He let out a dry chuckle. "That would be nice." Cloud looked around, rubbing the back of his neck. "This place is gonna take a while to clean up. My old home took weeks to clean after I negotiated with all the utility companies and the city in regards to the ownership of the property."

Tifa raised a brow. "Negotiated?"

"Negotiated." Cloud flashed a cryptic smile.

She really didn't care if he was taking advantage of utility companies with his suggestions, but it was interesting to see what he used them for. "I'll start cleaning up tomorrow afternoon. We'll have this place cleaned up pretty quick!" It would help keep her mind off her troubles for a time, too, she thought.

"Thanks, Tifa. I'll join you when I wake up." They left the abandoned house and walked down the road. Cloud glanced over at his friend. "Hungry?"

She nodded. "Where to?"

He took her hand. "How about somewhere by the beach?"

* * *

"Hey Aerith, are you alright?" Zack squeezed her hand as they walked down the road to her house after dinner. He had been noticing her demeanor over the week had grown more and more distant.

She looked up and to her side, her date holding an inquisitive pout on his face. "I...I'm fine."

He shook his head. "You've been a little withdrawn these last few nights..." His eyes widened. "You aren't...gonna break up with me, are you?"

Aerith waved her hand and shook her head. "No! No, I don't want to break up at all, Zack." She looked ahead and took a deep breath. "A friend of mine is missing. I've sent text messages and I've tried calling her too, and a mutual friend has been visiting her house...but she's gone," she whispered.

Zack frowned at the news, he didn't want to see Aerith upset but he also had a lot on his plate as it was. Still, if he could look out for her friend during the night that wouldn't be a problem. "How long has she been missing?"

"Over a week and a half."

He nodded. "What's her name?" _'I can check the database and see if the guild may have done her in,'_ he thought sadly.

"Tifa Lockhart." Aerith glanced at her date as she said it, stopping her walk. His eyes went wide and he looked away before a hand gripped his cheeks and pulled his face to look at her. "You know her, don't you?" Her voice dripped suspicion.

"Uh..." Zack moved his eyes this way and that as his cheeks squished forward from Aerith's delicate fingers. "M-maybe. Just recently." _'Shut up Zack, she's gonna think you have her in some creepy dungeon!'_

Aerith took her hand away, a concerned look on her face. "Recently...?"

"She's Cloud's childhood friend! They just took...a vacation...together." Zack cringed at how awkward it must have sounded.

"A vacation? Without telling anyone?" She looked down, thinking. She hadn't known the two men longer than a month, Zack having mysteriously fallen through the roof in the back of her shop before closing time, Cloud charging in seconds later in a quiet panic.

Zack had looked so strangely pale as he groaned on the floor, bits of wooden tile covering him; she wondered if he was possibly ill. His eyes had lit up as he looked into her emerald orbs and he smiled at her as he tried to get up by himself. To this day she had no idea how he wasn't at the very least injured. He and Cloud had both apologized about the damage to her roof, promising to pay to have it repaired. They left shortly after dividing what the three estimated the costs would be, Zack punching Cloud on the arm and mumbling about how "that was a cheap-shot."

She still didn't know where he had fallen from, the larger buildings far from her little shop. The two would come in and buy flowers and talk, always in the evening. Cloud was more reserved and quiet, but friendly, while Zack was excitable and talkative. He wooed her into a date, that night the last time she had seen Tifa.

Was it connected?

Zack shifted his weight on his feet. He really didn't know what to say to her, and he didn't want to lie either. Everything was in a precarious situation right now, and if she knew too much Aerith could get dragged into it as well. He sighed and took one of Aerith's hands in both his. "I...want to tell you everything," he said quietly before looking back into her eyes. "But right now, that...could be dangerous. Cloud is keeping Tifa safe right now. I've known him long enough where I can tell, he cares about her like I care about you. So please, believe me when I say she's safe. I promise she's alive and well."

Aerith looked down at his hands then back into his blue eyes and tense face. She sighed. "I...believe you, Zack. But it'd be nice if I could hear back from her, or if I could write a letter to her...I want to know she's alright, Zack."

He nodded, and resumed walking with her hand in his. "You totally should! I can have it delivered to her by tomorrow night."

"I'll write one out before you leave..." she said. "It's relieving that you know she's alive, Zack."

He smiled and nodded. While he had been too busy with the guild and searching for what was indeed a mole in the guild to send anything out to Cloud, not trusting phones for such delicate matters, this would give him the perfect opportunity to write a letter of his own on anything they had found out so far. "As soon as I get anything back I'll give it to you, Aerith."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

* * *

"How many trash bags did you use?" Cloud asked from the living room. Tifa had obviously been very busy while he slept, stuffed trash bags neatly standing together. She came down the staircase with another one, wearing gloves and a face mask.

"Oh, probably a good twenty. I'm almost done with the third floor, then I'm gonna vacuum." She rubbed the sweat off her forehead with her exposed arm.

He grabbed several bags. "Geeze, Tifa. When you said you were gonna get an early start, I wasn't expecting you to do all the dirty work..." he mumbled. This was his project as much as it was hers.

"It's alright. You get to throw them in the dumpster for me." He could see the smile in her eyes as the light materia shone from her bracer.

He nodded and went outside, looking around for a dumpster. Cloud turned his head and found it at the end of the street, and he opened it and tossed his first round in. He went back in to collect more, taking several more trips as Tifa finished the last of the bags from his floor. Tossing them and shutting the dumpster he swiped his hands together as he walked towards his soon to be new home.

A muffled caw sounded from above and Cloud looked up towards the sky; a large crow was flying towards him. It landed on the ground in front of him, cawing out again after dropping something. "Clara." He walked up to Zack's servant and crouched down to take whatever messages his friend had sent; Clara flapped up to his shoulder to rest, indicating a need for a response back. Or so Zack had told him the first time they were introduced.

Cloud headed back into the house as he looked over the letters, a white envelope addressed to him and a green one to Tifa. His brows came together; Aerith had written to Tifa? Just what did Zack say to her? He sighed as Tifa walked towards him after coming down the stairs.

She glanced at the crow, the letters and then at Cloud. "Vampire mail?"

Cloud snorted and looked back at her. "Something like that." He pointed at the bird. "This is Clara, one of Zack's servants." It cawed at her, and Tifa nodded a greeting. The vampire handed over the letter addressed to her. "Aerith wrote to you."

"Wait, you know Aerith?" The flowers in the vase in his home flashed in her mind.

Cloud nodded. "She's dating Zack."

"What? Why?"

He shrugged. "Because he likes her. Being a vampire doesn't stop him from looking for love..." Cloud seemed to have a faraway look in his eyes before focusing again and flapping the envelope at Tifa.

Tifa took the green letter from her friend and opened it up, Aerith's flowing cursive greeting her eyes.

_Dear Tifa,_

_Zack told me you were with Cloud, but I don't know where you two could be. You disappeared so suddenly, I was very worried...I still am. I really don't understand why you're in danger or how Cloud and Zack found out and spirited you away so quickly. But if you're alright, that's good enough for me._

_Rox has been beside herself when she visits, thinking the worst. I'll show her your response to reassure her that you aren't dead or worse...She keeps saying "or worse". Maybe her imagination is running away with her? Anyway, I hope you're safe and sound with Cloud. If you two get serious, make sure I'm the first to know, okay? I wanna tease Zack with it._

_Hear from you soon!  
Aerith_

_'When we get serious?'_ She glanced at Cloud as he read over his letter. She blushed, and her chest ached. _'It wouldn't work...' _Tifa blew air out of her lips, lifting some of her bangs before folding the letter up. "She wants me to write back."__

__Cloud grunted. "Yeah, Zack asked me to as well." He looked up at Tifa, lazily waving his letter. "They haven't found out much yet, just that it's a mole in the guild...and when they're found, well..." He shrugged. "...someone is gonna be in big trouble."_ _

__Tifa nodded, then looked back down at her letter. Rox would be hurt if she didn't write back, but her former guild might come looking for her, too. It might be too late if Aerith had already spoken to Rox, however. Tifa had told Rox why she was a vampire hunter one evening, asking her not to speak to the others about her personal reason. _'Maybe it's a good thing neither of them know where we went.'__ _

__The two took a break from cleaning the house to acquire stationary supplies, and they wrote letters back that either detailed what they were up to or how they were doing as they sat next to each other in the new home. "I hope Aerith doesn't mention you to Rox."_ _

__Cloud groaned. "I knew I should have killed her that night." Tifa flicked his nose with her pen. "Ow!"_ _

__"I'm very happy you didn't."_ _

__"She's gonna cause trouble..." he grumbled as he wrote._ _

__Tifa snorted. "You're good at saving trouble makers." He didn't reply, but she noticed a faint smile on his lips when she looked over. She returned to her two letters, finishing them after a few minutes of contemplation. "I'm sorry if I've been too much trouble." Tifa avoided eye contact as she stuffed the letters into their respective envelopes. She realized she had caused him some emotional hurt when he was trying to help her, even if she had good reason to think the way she did._ _

__His gloved hand reached out for her chin, bringing her ruby eyes to gaze upon his brilliant blue orbs. "I...understand how hard it is to get over the things you've seen. You couldn't help but associate it with me." He looked down for a moment as he bit the inside of his cheek, then looked at her again. "I told you before, you're important to me. And no matter what...I'll be there for you, Tifa."_ _

__Tifa swallowed hard before nodding and looking away, her face burning. "We have each other's backs," she mumbled._ _

__"Like we always have."_ _

__They sent Clara on her way with the three letters after she had reappeared from the shadows outside the house, the crow disappearing into the night. The two returned to their cleaning after a quick lunch, Tifa vacuuming the carpet as Cloud sweeped the tile floors on the bottom floor. It was times like these he appreciated the fact he didn't have to breathe, the air choked with dust as he thoroughly swept and dusted the kitchen and living area._ _

__A mole in the guild had nearly cost he and Tifa their lives. His sweeps became sharper as he thought the letter over. His guild was still looking for Tifa, though that was on the back burner for now. His transfer went through at the very least, and he should have his first mark in about a week; he bit his lip, he was going to get a little antsy in several days without a little blood to keep him going. _'That was a bad time.'__ _

__Cloud tried to get a mark once a week. Any longer without blood and he slowly became more feral and needy, the worst case occurring when he was still a fresh faced vampire with a moral dilemma. Two weeks without blood, and he could hear every heartbeat and the slosh of blood pumping through nearby veins, calling to him to have a taste._ _

__He didn't want to kill to live, and he barricaded himself in his coffin after having a mental breakdown in front of Zack after he explained that he was now a vampire, that folkloric being Zangan would tell stories about. Blood sucking, shadow weaving demons of the night, and now he was one of them. He didn't have to breathe, he couldn't feel a heartbeat. His skin was ashy and his nails kept growing and shortening as his emotions went haywire._ _

__He was distraught, scared, sad and angry, and he would lay in his coffin and try to forget about the world of the living, hoping the Planet would finally take him if he laid still enough. Cloud would scratch the wood of his prison with sharp talons as he tried to ignore the call of life sustaining blood that was so close by, taunting him and making him grind his teeth._ _

__Cloud finally left his tomb on the night of the beginning of the second week, still in the cadet uniform they buried him in. He couldn't take it anymore, his eyes darting back and forth and his fangs itchy for a neck to bury into. He stalked the cemetery and nearly tore a woman to shreds before Zack tackled him to the ground, the former cadet turning into a crying mass in his friend's arms. Zack comforted him and took him to the outskirts of the sector, a bound man hidden in a crag waiting for them. It was okay, Zack said. He caught this man doing bad things to other people._ _

__He had finally had enough. Cloud stumbled towards his victim mindlessly and put a hand over the man's head and clamped his jaw over his neck as his victim tried to scream into his gag. The new vampire felt much better after that, the sweet, thick blood soothing his body and clearing his mind as it trickled down his throat._ _

__"Cloud?"_ _

__He shook his head, snapping out of the old memory. He looked at Tifa. "Hm?"_ _

__"It's getting close to five, I think we lost track of time..." She looked tired._ _

__He cursed under his breath. "We should go...We made a big enough dent here for the night as it is." They left quickly towards the hotel, the sky showing the faintest of red tinges to the east. They held each other's hands as they pushed forward, Cloud hoping to be within the safe confines of their room before the first rays of sunlight would spill out onto the city by the sea._ _


	9. What Lies in Wait in the Mists

Rox walked down the dark street, paranoid of every dark alley ever since that night a mysterious vampire spared her life. She had charged back to the cathedral as quick as her feet could carry her, terrified that he would change his mind and plunge her weapon into her neck as she ran back. The members present were dumbfounded by her story, unsure what to make of it; Rox was unsure if they even believed her, thinking it a lie to cover up why her shank was missing. Not that it mattered much to the guild as they searched for three missing members now.

She knew she shouldn't have gone out to that job, but it was just a single ghoul, how hard could it be? She knew she should have gone with a higher ranking member, but Tifa had vanished one night, never to be seen again and the others had been too busy with their own lives to assist Rox. Tifa had been with her since the day she was taken to the cathedral, mentally broken and physically battered by the machinations of a psychotic vampire that killed off her family one by one, with help from her mother after it turned her into a servant. Tifa helped her get used to the odd schedule of the guild, hugged her and talked to her when she needed emotional support, and took her out on the small jobs that they could handle together.

And now there was news she had skipped town with a vampire that she swore she would slay. Something was horribly wrong.

Tifa told her the name of the vampire she seeked to slay and why; Cloud was a loved one from Tifa's hometown, her childhood friend. Her motivation wasn't revenge but love and mercy, and Rox understood, having watched her mother kill a sibling in cold blood. Rox's mother hadn't been in control, a vampire had been. Cloud wasn't in control, something akin to a demon was. But both of them were in there, watching in their own personal hell.

She came up to the flower shop and opened the door. Aerith was alone, looking at a letter with a faint smile on her face. Her green eyes traveled to meet Rox's vivid indigo eyes, then she lifted an envelope and waved it in a cheerful fashion. "Tifa wrote to you, too!"

Rox fidgeted before striding across the store front and taking the letter in a shaking hand. It was Tifa's handwriting. She ripped it open and unfolded the letter; it smelled dusty, her nose wrinkling.

_Dear Rox,_

__

I hope you're doing alright without me around. I'm so sorry, it must be difficult. I don't think I'll be back. Back to the guild, I mean. I'm not sure when I can return to Midgar...but we can still keep in contact, Rox. I guess you have a lot of questions, and I bet Aerith mentioned Cloud, didn't she? Yes, I'm with Cloud. No, he hasn't hurt me or anything like that. He's the same as I remembered him all those years ago, he hasn't really changed that much to my surprise. I'm sure you don't believe me yet, but the guild is wrong about vampires. It's right to slay most of them, but...no, they aren't possessed.

__

Rox, I need you to keep quiet about this to the guild. Promise me this so we can keep in contact, please. There's so much I want to tell you but I can't. If you decide to write back, I'd love to hear from you again. Please take care, Rox, and stay out of trouble.

__

_Tifa_

Tifa was with _him_. No, it had to have done something to her, turned her into a servant or maybe another vampire, and maybe it was trying to lure her in. Rox glanced up at Aerith, the flower girl rereading her letter. How much did she know, was she in contact with a vampire? She had to be, how else would she get in contact with Tifa now? But why was she contacting them, what did she and the vampire want? She blinked back tears as she reread her letter.

"I'm relieved Tifa's alright,." Aerith said as she put the letter away. She looked back up at Rox with an appraising look.

Rox quietly nodded as she bit her lip. Three members of the close-knit guild were missing and one had resurfaced, in league with a creature she swore an oath to destroy. Were the disappearances connected? Don't tell the guild...They would have come to the same conclusion she had and they already had their hands full searching for Master Regis and Huey, so what would be the point? More. She needed more information, then maybe the guild would take her seriously.

"I am too...Say, you said your boyfriend was in contact with her, right? When's the next time he can send out letters?"

Aerith tapped her fingers on the wooden counter. "A week. He said the courier needed a break." She looked thoughtfully at the envelope, then back at Rox. "If you want to talk to Zack about this, he should be by tomorrow, he said he was busy tonight and wanted to drop the letters off before he went to work."

Rox nodded, though she was unsure if she could make it by tomorrow. She only ever had a glimpse of Zack, and she could easily assume he had to be a vampire. He was never seen during the day and was responsible for procuring the letters. Aerith was safe for the moment it seemed, but sooner or later something would happen to her, too. Maybe Aerith would disappear just like Tifa. Maybe Rox could make a protective talisman for her? Yeah. There was enough time to protect her. "I'll try and come by, but it might be later on in the week. I better get back, Aerith. Thanks a lot for keeping me in the know."

Aerith smiled and handed her a yellow lily, like she always did. "Stay safe out there, Rox. I'll see you later."

"Thanks." She smiled as best she could, despite feeling like a nervous wreck. "Take it easy, Aerith."

She wandered back into the darkness, back towards the cathedral. Rox was still just a student, and she had been reprimanded for attempting to do a job solo. They were happy she killed a ghoul, evidence that she survived the encounter on her arm as she ran, bleeding into the stone sanctuary, but she could see it in their eyes; they didn't believe her about the vampire. Vampires didn't spare hunters. Where else would her weapon go, in a sewer grate? She wasn't a habitual liar.

More training. Rox wasn't allowed to go on jobs for an entire month, partially because of punishment and partially because her new weapon would take time to make. But if that vampire ever saw her out there again, he promised she would be his servant, and who knows what he would make her do then? She still didn't understand it. Why did he spare her? It didn't make sense.

Rox felt a chill run down her spine as she continued down the road, and she picked up her pace. Maybe she should take that alley, it would be quicker...No, if she went straight it would be much safer...

She liked safe. Rox continued on, looking about, the flutter of some night creature reaching her ears and sometimes seen out of the corner of her eye. She hated how helpless she felt, no weapon and only a relic gifted to her by a priest that felt sorry for her after her close call with the undead. How much protection could that give her in the depths of the night? Perhaps enough to run away. Rox looked behind her, a mist gathering slowly from the alley she thought of using. Panicking, she ran.

Rox soon heard the sound of that unknown thing following above her as the cathedral came into view. She should look back...No, she shouldn't look back, she needs to keep running just a little bit longer...

She gasped for breath as she came closer and closer, mists seeping about the side of her vision and licking at her face as her lungs and legs burned. She was being chased by something, and it was gaining on her. Shapes took form in the mists, groans close to her ears but she had to ignore it, just ignore them...

A powerful blast shoved her off her feet, and she hit the pavement with a grunt, her face rubbing against the cool and clammy stone. Without missing a beat she turned onto her back but a powerful hand gripped the front of her shirt, lifting her up to meet a grisly old face partially hidden by a wide-brimmed hat. Figures formed in the mists about her like twisting tortured souls licking at her body dancing like the flames of a candle.

"It looks like I caught myself a little mouse," the man sneered, his amber eyes boring into her soul. Rox squeaked a breath, frozen in terror. Vampires always made her freeze or flee, she just couldn't help it after what had happened to her family such a short while ago. The vampire brought her ever closer to his face, his smile flashing long, vile fangs that were destined to dig into her jugular. "So close, and yet...so far."

His mouth was opening and his other hand was pulling her head back by her hair, making her eyes tear as he tugged harshly. This was it, Rox thought. A vampire's meal in front of a sacred space, defiling it with her corpse if he didn't turn her into a ghoul first. If only she had something, like holy water or a relic...

Rox's eyes lit up; the relic. As the monster's fangs pressed on her throat she whipped out the relic gifted to her by the priest that she carried in her back pocket, and the vampire hissed as he released her. Rox stood there a moment as he shielded his face, then sprinted away as quickly as she could after tossing it on him, causing him to recoil and shout in pain.

Her path to the cathedral was unusually clear, though she felt the mists curling back behind her as she made her last push towards home. Rox could still hear the vampire groaning from the presence of the relic, and she knew she didn't have much time left before he recovered. Her legs felt like giving out from underneath her, the steps of the cathedral so close. She felt a push on the small of her back, lighter than the first one she experienced as she reached for them, lifting her up as she leapt.

The teen landed onto the steps of the sacred space on all fours, the thick mists peeling away and retreating from her position as she fell onto the smooth stone pathway to the doors of her sanctuary. She dared to look back, the mist seeping back like a giant pale snake into the darkness, the vampire nowhere to be found. Squinting she noticed another man watching her on a nearby roof, arms crossed and feet dangling off the edge. He seemed to be giving her two thumbs up before falling off, a bat taking his place and fleeing to some parts unknown.

Rox quickly got up and ran inside the cathedral, finally safe from the monsters prowling about the night. The wooden pews were empty, mass another two nights from now, the priests most likely in their quarters. She limped towards her small room, looking this way and that in case anyone saw her. The hunters would all be out right now, she reasoned, and at that moment she would rather rest and hide Tifa's letter away.

She hid the letter under her mattress before laying down to rest. Her face hurt and there was a bloody crust on patches of her cheek and on her eyebrow when she touched it with her fingers. Rox sighed heavily. Her closest friend was with a vampire. The one that showed total disgust towards the monsters, the one that explained to her how deceptive and vile vampires could be(despite knowing all too well herself), had been caught in one of their webs. To top it all off, Aerith was being targeted as well.

Rox laid there resting until a knock issued from her door, and she called out to who ever it was to come in. Master Tristitia entered, the tall woman holding a stern but appraising expression on her face. Her black hair had a stripe of silver running on either side and resting in a bun on the top of her head, her clothing grey with black leathers. She held a relic and a yellow flower in her hand. "I assume these are yours." Master Tristitia glanced at the side of Rox's head, frowning.

Rox nodded. "I was attacked...again."

Master Tristitia handed the items to the teen, then sat on her bed to look over her injures. Small bruises were forming on her throat and there was blood on her face. She looked Rox in the eyes. "Was it the same one that you claimed attacked you before?"

She shook her head. "Totally different."

"I see." Master Tristitia sighed and stood back up. "I'll fetch my materia to fix those wounds, dear."

"Do you think this is all connected?" Rox asked. Besides Tifa, Master Regis and Huey were gone. She didn't know what happened to those two.

Master Tristitia tapped her cheek with a finger. "It certainly seems like this cathedral is having a run of bad luck. Three missing members and a student nearly killed...twice, if your first story could be believed." She let out a mirthless chuckle. "It should change for the better soon, and we'll wipe those nightmares from the city once and for all."

Rox nodded. "What happens then? We kinda become useless without vampires to fight."

The master snorted. "They aren't the only things out there that need to disappear!" She went to leave. "It's not as if more won't take their place some day, anyway. You would know that if you paid more attention to your studies."

The teen groaned. "Right..."

Master Tristitia left, and Rox rubbed her face. She felt she was way over her head, and no way to escape. Looking down towards her bed she reminded herself that her goal for now was to get more information out of Tifa, and protect Aerith while she was still untouched by her so-called boyfriend. Rox opened up a book on talismans, and began to research which ones were best to help the flower girl in the nights ahead, and herself too.

* * *

Tifa stood behind the bar, fixing a drink for Cloud as he sat at the counter of the busy establishment that had hired her. It had been several days since they cleaned the house, the two purchasing pieces of furniture for the home yesterday and moving in with the basic amenities for the home. She sometimes wondered how much gil Cloud could possibly have that he could drop so much on furniture so easily, but drummed it up to being an assassin. Compensation for that must be good, she thought.

She finally did have some time to herself to cry, and the release had helped considerably. Tifa worried about Rox, hoped she would hear from both she and Aerith, and wondered how long she and Cloud would be living together. Eventually he would have to tire of her, or the both of them could separate when they finally returned to Midgar, if that was possible at this point. She was sure they would keep in contact now, at least. _'I have him around me again, even if it isn't in the best of circumstances.'_ She would enjoy the present with him, despite her life being upended.

Now it was just a matter of little things here and there. Squeak was delighted enough with the new house, finding himself a corner to call his own, and Tifa found him a wooden craft box that could work as a bed. She covered the insides with soft fabric and tiny pillows, wanting to show her appreciation for saving her that terrible evening. Squeak took to his new bed with glee, Cloud translating his squeaks into a lot of thank yous.

After personalizing her room Tifa felt it was comfortable enough for her. A large bed, wooden drawers, a nightstand and a television to watch the news in the evening. She helped Cloud board up any windows on his floor, though he kept the ones downstairs open at Tifa's request, so long as she put up thick curtains. He had the doors magically sealed, but all she would have to do is knock on the door and Squeak would open them for her.

Annoying, but whatever. At least she had a job to keep her busy outside of the house.

"Here you go!" she chimed, sliding him a whiskey. Cloud caught it and took a sip, puckering his lips. She leaned close to him in the busy bar, his brows raised as she put a hand over his. "Does that actually work on you...?"

He nodded with a half smile. "Yeah, somehow."

Tifa couldn't help but grin at the thought of him being a little tipsy. "Your food should be out soon." She turned around to check the kitchen for his order.

Cloud sipped the amber liquid, thinking about the future. What kind of future did he have now, he wondered to himself. He would hear from Zack again soon, his friend messaging him that everything was good; that meant he received the letters. He turned his thoughts to Tifa. Tifa would have to go off someday and maybe form a family if that was her thing, then fade like all mortals did. No, he wanted to be in her life as much as possible, but what could he possibly give her in exchange? It put a bitter taste in his mouth that he couldn't chalk up to his drink.

Things would have been so much easier if he could have had a final goodbye in Nibelheim, but he just had to write those letters.

He glanced to his right as a man a little older than he came to sit down, the dark haired male looking at him a moment before turning his gaze to a menu that had already been set out. Cloud went back to his drink, ignoring the newcomer. _'What do I do...Zack would say to go for it, but...it would just lead to more heartbreak in the end, right? If she refused me I could deal with that, but she might feel uncomfortable living with me afterwards.'_

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a plate of food, Tifa giving him a small smile before turning to the new customer. He mumbled a thank you and started to eat, occasionally looking up at his friend. Cloud frowned, the strange male obviously flirting with Tifa as she took his order, and to his agitation she seemed to flirt back. Maybe he felt he wasn't a right fit being undead and all, but she deserved better than just some guy that came off the streets. Who did he think he was? Dark hair and eyes, tan, tall, muscular. Cloud narrowed his eyes as he bit down on a piece of potato.

"Thank you, ah..."

"Alyssra." Tifa pronounced. They had decided it was best she went under a fake name while in Junon.

"Pretty," The stranger commented as Tifa smiled. "I'm Domino."

She nodded. "It's nice to meet you, Domino." Tifa walked over to Cloud and leaned closer, her breasts accentuated by the dark green top of her uniform; he paused a moment as his eyes went to her face. "Do you need a refill, Cloud?"

He grunted an affirmative before she walked away. Cloud ate in silence, watching the man next to him when the stranger wasn't looking. Domino. He finished his meal as Tifa came out with another drink, the vampire giving a quick thanks and taking a deep sip of the whiskey. Cloud watched as she gave Domino the drink he ordered before returning to the kitchen again, probably checking for the next order.

_'What if she finds someone and just leaves...'_ Cloud sighed into his glass. Too soon, it was too soon. This was why he didn't drink hard liquor often, it would get him thinking too much about everything, and his fangs were itchy here and there, agitating him further. Cloud noticed Tifa had come back with Domino's meal, the man flirting with her yet again. Cloud's face was burning as he looked down towards his empty plate, the soft giggles and silly words getting to him.

Yep. He really shouldn't have had two glasses of strong whiskey tonight. Because as soon as Tifa left for the next order Domino was gagging loudly.

"What the hell...? Maggots?!" Cloud eyed Domino as he looked in horror at his meal after choking on his first bite. The vampire smirked before leaving gil for his meal and leaving, planning on picking up Tifa after her shift was over.

Tifa popped out of the kitchen and walked over to Domino, the man looking up at her with a horrified, disgusted expression on his face. "What's wrong?"

He pointed at his meal. "Look, there's maggots every-" Domino looked down, his meal perfectly fine. He stared hard into the food, then at Tifa, the woman frowning and narrowing her eyes. "They were everywhere a second ago..." he whispered as he examined his plate again.

"I'm sorry Domino. Would you like me to get you a fresh plate?"

"Maybe another drink," He mumbled and she took his plate, getting a new drink fixed before returning to the counter as the bar wound down. Tifa took the bills Cloud had left, sighing and placing it into the till. She was going to have to talk to Cloud about this. She really didn't need him playing pranks on customers.

_'Why did he do that?'_ She wiped the counter as she thought. Cloud didn't cause trouble for the sake of trouble unless he was showing off. Now that she thought about it, maggots in someone's food was something he would have done as a kid if he could have done it when he was upset with someone. But he wasn't a kid anymore, he was an adult.

An adult vampire acting like a kid.

Tifa glanced at Domino, the man strumming the fingers of one hand on the counter and the other propping up his head. He was obviously jarred from the experience. She came over to him and smiled at him, and he returned it, even if it was a little strained. "I'm really sorry about your food, Domino."

He shook his head before glancing at the empty seat next to him and then back at Tifa. "No need for an apology from you, Alyssra. I, uh, I don't really even know what happened, to be honest." He let out a forced chuckle.

_'I sure know what happened. I just don't know why.'_ Tifa hummed. "Well, let's just try and forget about it." She turned around to fix another drink for yet another patron and several beers, taking them to their table before taking an order that she gave to the kitchen with haste. Again she walked towards Domino. "Do you need another drink?"

He nodded. "Just a beer, please." Domino ended up staying until closing time, talking here and there with Tifa. She clocked out, Domino following her out the door. She looked at him with a brow raised. "I just wanna make sure you get home safe."

She smiled politely. "Thanks, but I can keep care of myself. I'll see you later, if you decide to visit again."

He bit his lip and looked around, somewhat nervous. "Are you sure? There's a lot of creeps out here."

"I'm not helpless." She tried to hide the irritation in her voice.

Domino nodded. "Well, okay. Take care, Alyssra. I'll see you later."

She nodded. "Have a good night." Tifa walked home, looking about here and there. Cloud was either off somewhere and forgot when the bar closed or he was watching silently from the shadows. That was fine, she needed time to think about what she would say to him in the meantime. The further she went, the less foot traffic there was. Tifa took another turn onto a lonely street, pale lamplight illuminating her path.

After a few minutes she heard footsteps behind her, and glancing back she felt it might be Domino from the look of the silhouette's build. She let out a heavy sigh. "Cloud, if you're around...no killing," she said in a firm whisper. Now if she would just walk a little quicker, put a little more space between her and Domino...

So Domino was following her. Tifa quickened her strides and soon a cool, moist sensation ran by her legs. She dared to look back, a thick mist slowly blocking her vision as the man behind her seemed to begin jogging towards her and calling her assumed name. Turning back she took a right onto the dark dead-end road that would lead her home. Domino would think she was still going straight if Cloud put a shape of her in the fog.

Halfway down the road she hissed a sigh angrily. "You shouldn't have done that."

Above her a voice asked innocently, "Done what?"

Tifa turned her head back and up, Cloud's arms crossed as he floated behind her. It was too dark to make out the expression on his face. She scowled. "You made it look like there were maggots in his food!"

He shrugged as he landed on his feet next to her, the two walking side by side now.

"Why did you do that?" she pressed. "That could hurt the establishment. Please don't tell me you do things like that when you drink too much..."

_'I did it because he should piss off.'_ Cloud shrugged again. "I guess I don't like him."

She raised a brow. "Why, he did nothing to you or me. He was pretty nice actually."

Cloud bristled. "Oh? Are you gonna go on a date with him then?"

Tifa stopped in her tracks and gave him a good, long hard stare. "And what if I did?"

He avoided eye contact. "Then...that's your choice," he mumbled. "I just don't think he...deserves you." Cloud slowly brought his eyes back to her.

"Yes, it's my choice, and no, that's not for you to judge, Cloud. I'll decide who deserves me." She resumed her walk.

He sneered, squeezing his fists as he followed behind her. "Hopefully it's someone better than Domino."

"What is your problem?" Tifa stood outside the door with her arms crossed, waiting for Cloud to open it. "Are you upset he was flirting with me?"

He opened the door. "You were flirting back."

"So what?" Her eyes searched his for a truthful answer, a glimmer of hurt residing within those blue orbs.

Cloud looked away as they entered. "I just...never mind, Tifa. I won't mess with his food again, okay?" He ran a hand through his spikes and looked back at her.

"Thank you," she said tersely, her eyes lingering on his with what looked almost like disappointment before heading upstairs to shower and get changed. Cloud plopped onto the sofa, arms crossed and still stewing. He shouldn't have to put up with this. Tifa was here, and maybe this Domino guy would get her to move out, with him. He'd be alone again; he liked having her in the house. It was nice to hear her downstairs when he woke up.

He rubbed his canine with his tongue. They were getting itchy again. He was going to need blood soon, before he got his mark. Cloud figured he would hunt someone down in a night or two, not wanting to risk any longer with Tifa in the house; her neck looked inviting enough and it made his toes curl in his boots as he thought back to how good she tasted that night he bit her.

Cloud pushed it out of his mind. The need for blood was going to get stronger every night until he finally had some, even just a little taste. He felt like a filthy addict. Huffing, he marched upstairs, passing Tifa as she walked towards the shower. He glanced at her pale, creamy neck as he passed by, and decided he needed a shower, too. A cold shower.

The icy water was a shock, it always was despite temperature never really being much of an issue anymore. Put him in a cold room and he wouldn't shiver, bring him into the tropics and he wouldn't sweat. But the cold would calm him for a time. He would just lay on his bed later, his body slowly warming back up to room temperature as he read a book or talked to Squeak.

He let the rushing water drown out everything, his blood thirst, his yearning and jealousy. Cloud needed it gone for just a little while before he went crazy. He felt embarrassed, and sighed loudly as the frigid water cascaded down his scalp, the tingle making him involuntarily shudder. The vampire stayed under the shower head a good half an hour, broken out of his thoughts by Tifa calling up the stairs to ask if he was alright. He yelled out that he was before shutting off the shower and drying off.

Even after arguing she was checking on him. Cloud couldn't help but love her, even after all these years. Tifa had grown up to be rather independent and from what he had seen during her ghoul battle and fight in his last lair a capable fighter. She was still that kind, brave soul with a big heart, but it had been tempered with terrible experiences and a slight bitterness that came from her former profession. Cloud couldn't say he wasn't hardened to death and bitter about his heroic demise, so why wouldn't she be affected? He was surprised she hadn't changed more.

As he laid on his bed after putting on some new clothing he wondered if anyone really deserved Tifa in his opinion. He knew he probably didn't.


	10. Jealousy and Optimism

Zack watched from the shadows as the girl known as Rox left the cathedral with an escort, probably one of the official vampire hunters that she convinced to keep her company after the incident the other night with Feng. Zack was sure Feng was going to be a pain to deal with as he continued on with his official duty of finding the mole and who they reported to. The two looked about, Rox hugging the arm of the stern looking woman.

He didn't need the vampire hunters dead just yet with the investigation in progress, and especially not Rox since Aerith seemed to have such a soft spot for the teen. Cloud explaining how little a threat she truly was had Zack pitying her more than anything, and he'd rather see her out of that guild than dead. He wondered how exactly he would spirit her away, possibly to Junon before the inevitable flare up between guilds.

Zack went on his way, feeling certain Feng wouldn't make a move on the two of them tonight. Feng was a crabby vampire that had his lair somewhere near the cathedral's district and had no ties with Zack's guild. Zack couldn't help but smirk at the thought of being an unseen thorn in his side, keeping Rox safe from the maws of that utter grouch like some silly game. At least, Zack thought, Rox was easy to push suggestions into. It saved her life.

Walking through the shade of an alley that lead behind the cathedral he stooped down, waiting. One of the living members of his guild had spotted a strange person being led through the back, someone that didn't look like the type to be found in churches. The assassin agent should still be within the cathedral, posing as a member of the clergy that came in to visit from the North Continent.

Soon enough a woman in bright robes appeared from the back of the large, stone construction, heading towards the alley Zack waited in. Dark haired and brown eyed she glanced about as she entered the shadows. The vampire stood up excitedly and gave a short wave as he quickly left his hiding spot, noticing her eyes widen a moment before scowling. He grinned and scratched the back of his head.

"You're supposed to scare your prey, not your associates!" she hissed.

"Sorry about that, Hanna."

Hanna rolled her eyes and approached Zack. "Shadows fearing shadows..." she huffed before looking up at her partner. "I can't be gone for long. One of their guild members was almost killed the other night so they're on high alert."

Zack nodded, all too familiar with the situation. "Find anything out yet?"

"There's some strange man that came in the night I infiltrated the cathedral, as you already know from the note. He hasn't been back since, but this afternoon I got a name for his face: Scotch Longen."

Zack rubbed his chin. "Scotch Longen...anything else?" he asked, hoping she found out more. Last time they spoke there was worry among some of the vampire hunter's guild of an ambush and trickery, though it had been smoothed over with an unheard discussion.

Hanna shook her head. "Not yet. Come back in a couple of nights, maybe he'll be back...the kid they have here said she's seen him at least once a week for the last several weeks, so Scotch should be around in the next two nights."

"Any particular time he shows up?"

She sighed, narrowing her eyes as she thought. "He came in before sunset and left an hour later, so try and get here in that time frame. He has particular hair, so if you decide to follow him he's easy to make out. It's dark and curly and thick, pushed up by a black bandana. He was wearing army green shoulder pads, too, though I'm not sure if that's armor or style," she added. Hanna looked around and sighed. "I better get back."

Zack nodded and leaned against a wall. "Thanks a lot, Hanna. Stay safe in there."

She gave him a wry grin. "It's not like I'm gonna burst into flames."

He gave her a playful pout. "We do _not_ catch on fire."

Hanna's grin grew before she turned around and left, Zack watching until she was safely inside the cathedral again. They had a name now, but it wasn't the mole, just someone the mole was in contact with, possibly. He was going to have to keep a close look out in the early evenings.

For now he decided to visit Aerith before she closed her shop and escort her home. With a hungry Feng around he wasn't going to take chances with her safety. He took off towards her flower shop, flying off after making sure no one was watching him; people didn't turn into bats, after all.

He flew above the street Rox had been seen on and watched the two before continuing on, feeling eyes on him as he passed them by. A few minutes later and he landed in the shadows next to Aerith's shop, then waited for her to close as he leaned on the wall near the door. He didn't have to wait for long, Aerith appearing and locking the door without noticing the vampire leaning there.

"Hey, Aerith!" he greeted in a cheerful voice.

She jumped and tsked. "Zack! I didn't see you there."

Zack grinned, taking her hand. "Guess I'm good at hiding in plain sight, huh?"

"You have an unusual set of things you're good at. Like hiding where I should see you, or falling into my shop from Planet knows where," she playfully teased. Aerith supposed that his mysteriousness added to her infatuation with the man, though she had begun wondering if he worked for a mob or an underground organization. After all, why else would there be danger afoot?

He scratched the back of his head. "I'm troublesome, I know."

Aerith smiled. "Just a little." She looked forward and let out a small sigh. "I wonder how Cloud and Tifa are getting along?"

"Spike's probably draggin' his feet as always." Zack knew it was the first time in years they had seen each other, but he would have jumped at the chance to date Tifa if he was in his friend's shoes. He was going to have to send him a few messages about that.

"He can be a bit shy."

Zack nodded. "A little. But I think Tifa's been good for him." She had been. _'If it weren't for her those deadbeats woulda killed him.'_

They walked in silence afterwards, enjoying the evening air. Zack looked to the side and noticed the pair from earlier, Rox carrying a bag with her in the darkness. They were on the other side of the street, and the teen eyed them both warily as her escort watched elsewhere and Aerith turned onto her porch. He gave her a thumbs up and winked before following Aerith into her house.

"I wasn't expecting you, mind if we dine in?" the flower girl asked.

Zack nodded as he headed for her couch. "I'm not that great of a cook but I'll help out if you need me."

Aerith laughed. "I'll try not to scold you too much, Zack." She headed upstairs, leaving Zack by himself for the time being. He took his phone out and began texting Cloud. After a few minutes he received a message back.

**Hey. Everything okay?**

**Yeah, I'm at Aerith's. How are you and Tifa doing?**

**Fine. We moved into the house a few days ago.**

Zack rolled his eyes. **That's not what I meant! How are you two doing? Did you make a move yet?**

There was no response for a minute. **I can't do that, Zack.**

**And why not?**

**She deserves a normal life after everything is done and over with.**

**Spike, I think she can choose what kind of life she wants. Tifa didn't take a normal path in the first place. It's not about deserving, it's about what you two want from each other.**

**I don't even know what she could possibly want from me, besides friendship.**

**Maybe you should ask. She went through a lot of trouble finding you for all the wrong reasons, didn't she?** Zack sighed, wondering how his friend could be this dense.

A few more minutes passed, and he heard Aerith descending the stairs. She smiled at him before entering the kitchen and he followed, his phone buzzing in his hand. **She did.**

**So stop dragging your feet! You can figure out everything else later.**

**Maybe you're right.**

**I know I'm right!**

**I'll phone in the verdict.**

Zack smiled as he put his phone away, Aerith motioning towards a head of lettuce. "Can you chop that?"

He nodded as he found a large knife and started chopping, silently rooting for his friend as he helped prepare dinner with Aerith. Zack glanced at the florist, who was bent over and checking the stove. _'There's always a way to make things work.'_

* * *

Washing dishes in the sink Tifa huffed, wondering why Cloud had avoided her all last night, not even escorting her home. She was agitated with his immaturity. Was he still upset about Domino? It wasn't like she was actually going to date him, Tifa mused, she only ever had eyes on one person and it wasn't someone she had just met.

It was just a problem because he wasn't technically alive anymore. But...

She glanced at the clock in the bar's kitchen as she finished cleaning a plate. Cloud might show up, and maybe he would finally talk to her, maybe he wouldn't. Maybe she should initiate the conversation instead. Tifa picked up a glass from the soapy water and began to mindlessly clean it. She shouldn't have to, because she wasn't the one that made it look like there were maggots of all things crawling through Domino's food. No, that was Cloud, because he didn't like him flirting with her. _'Then maybe he can make a move if that's such a big deal.'_

Finishing, she washed her hands and returned to the front, the establishment beginning to fill with people. They were short handed, one of the girls running late, so Tifa had to do whatever dishes had been left by a loafer during lunchtime and whatever trickled in when she could. After mixing a drink for a customer she took a look at the entrance to check for both the late employee and Cloud with a hawkish gaze. Shrugging, she went back to focusing on the customers, ignoring her nagging, irritable thoughts as best she could.

Tifa hadn't checked the clock in a while but glanced towards it; it was a little past nine now. She heard the door to the establishment open again and her eyes narrowed when they came across Cloud talking to the late employee as they entered, the vampire holding his phone in one hand and holding the door open for the teen with the other.

He _smiled_ at her.

Tifa pretended she hadn't seen him yet and continued on with another drink and sent an order to the kitchen, but she could feel her chest and face heat up. The teen that came in late appeared in the door, a silly grin on her face that made Tifa simmer even more. "That blond guy escorted me here when he found out we were goin' to the same place," she said. "You know, the one from the other night. Says his name is Cloud."

"Yeah, I know him," Tifa said flatly.

"He's really cute, don't you think?"

Tifa snorted. Of course she did. "Careful, he bites," she mumbled before going back to the counter. Cloud was sitting at the same stool the night he decided to cause trouble, and Tifa came up to greet him with a sour expression on her face. He raised a brow, his mouth a thin smile. "Escorting other girls?" Maybe that's where he went last night, fooling around with other girls, trying to teach her some stupid lesson because he couldn't stand her flirting with a customer.

Cloud shrugged. "We were both coming here. Don't tell me you're jealous."

"I'm not," she lied, "just like you aren't jealous of Domino."

Cloud looked away. "Right." He tapped his fingers on the counter, glancing back. "How have you been?"

Tifa shrugged. "Just been wondering why you avoided me last night." She pretended it hadn't bothered her, but she wasn't sure if it was very convincing, her voice thinly hiding her anger. They were interrupted by a customer order, and Cloud asked for a drink so he wasn't just taking up space. After a few minutes Tifa came back to him, brows raised as she looked to him for an answer.

He put his drink down, his face tense. "I wasn't feeling myself."

"You weren't?"

Cloud shrugged. "I'll tell you later," he said awkwardly. Tifa nodded after a moment and turned away to look after a group of four customers who needed orders taken. Turning back to give the orders to the cook her eyes narrowed as the teen that was supposed to be in the back as the dish washer was again speaking to Cloud, her elbows on the counter and butt wiggling. Did she have any idea what kind of trouble she might be getting herself into?

Taking the orders to the back and then returning she interrupted them when she took Cloud's glass, refilling it and placing it down a little harder than she meant to. The other girl seemed to get the point and fled to the back again, and Cloud calmly sipped from his glass, phone next to him. Tifa put her hands on her hips, fuming. "Staying this time?"

He nodded, and seemed to have an amused glint to his eye. She turned around with a huff to fix more drinks, occasionally feeling Cloud's eyes on her as she went about her business. She had arrived some time before opening because of the late employee and wouldn't get off until midnight, a few hours away. Occasionally Cloud would flag her for another drink as he played with his phone, Tifa figuring he was messaging Zack. _'He could have messaged me last night,'_ she thought bitterly.

Compounding her night was a surprised Domino, and Tifa took a quick look at Cloud before returning her gaze to the tall, tanned man. Cloud glared at him out of the corner of his eye as he took a long gulp of his drink before returning his gaze to his phone. Domino looked at them both as he sat at the counter, arms resting on the cool surface.

Tifa greeted him with a smile. "Welcome back, Domino!"

"Hey." His voice was quiet and his eyes studying her. She raised a brow, but after the night before last he was probably surprised she wasn't dead.

She cocked her head and feigned concern. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, it's just...it's been a weird couple of nights."

Tifa nodded. It had been. She heard Cloud snort despite the noise in the bar and she glared at him before returning her gaze and smile to Domino. "So, what can I get you?" she asked in a flirty voice, getting a glare in return from Cloud.

"A beer would be nice." His smile seemed a little strained.

She giggled a little. "Alright." Tifa gave Cloud a 'don't you even dare' look as he looked up with narrowed eyes and went to fill a mug for Domino. Afterwards she refilled Cloud's at his request, making her raise a brow. The other night he had two whiskeys and caused a subtle scene. He was on drink five and even though it wasn't whiskey it still should be strong enough to get him past tipsy.

"You aren't gonna cause a scene, are you?" she asked quietly as she leaned close to him. He looked up at her from his phone, his eyes dilating as he focused on her face. He shook his head, a slight blush on his cheeks, and she pat his hand in thanks.

"Tifa," he called out to her before she went back to the kitchen. She returned to him with a raised brow. "I...D'you wanna hang out tonight? We haven't really had a chance to do anything fun yet, and..."

"Not going out with the girl you escorted?" she jabbed, not as playfully as she wanted it to sound.

Cloud rolled his eyes. "If you're gonna be a sourpuss, maybe."

"No, I'll join you." They hadn't actually had a chance to really relax since coming to Junon, now that she thought about it. Between finding a home and cleaning it out, buying furniture, and returning to some semblance of normalcy in a new city. 'Yeah. We should do something fun.'

He smiled as he put his phone away and returned to his drink. Tifa went back to the kitchen to take out fresh orders to customers then wiped the counter of any spilled drinks. She noticed Domino nursing his beer while talking on the phone, frowning. After a final gulp he placed some gil on the counter, gave a small wave and headed out the door.

Tifa went to collect the money, and she wondered what had Domino in a rush tonight. The establishment slowly emptied over the next hour, and she shooed Cloud out the door to wait for her as she helped clean up. Sending some plates to the back the infatuated teenage gave her a lopsided grin. "Wonder if he's dating anyone."

"Don't know," Tifa said curtly as she returned to the front. She began sweeping and wiping down the tables, then with a sigh she took the cleaning supplies to the back. The next two nights she would be off, and then maybe this girl could forget about her friend, unless he decided to visit. Tifa sighed, agitated. She left with the teen and the cook, the teen looking about as she popped her head out of the door, then traveling off into the night.

Tifa glanced outside and groaned quietly to herself when Cloud was nowhere to be found. _'Of course he isn't here. So much for hanging out.'_ Huffing she made her way down the street with angry steps, the vampire ditching her again. She sometimes wondered what she saw in him as he acted like an aloof brat, so different from the attentive and fretting person that greeted her after seven years. Then again, she mused to herself, she wasn't exactly happy to see him then. Maybe it was cruel karma.

Tifa jumped as a hand grabbed her shoulder. "Boo." Cloud snickered. He was obviously still plenty buzzed from earlier.

She tsked as he smirked at her in the dark, but relief washed over her because he hadn't forgotten about her. "Very funny." Tifa looked back towards the street in front of her. "I was worried you changed your mind and went chasing after the dish washer," she said quietly.

"Why would I do that when I've got you?" He cleared his throat. "Uh, I mean, you and I are friends. I just...ran into her on my way to see you."

She raised a brow as she played with her fingers. "I couldn't tell after last night. I was worried you were getting bored of me."

"I wouldn't ever get bored of you." Cloud rubbed the back of his head, blush visible under the streetlight they passed. "I avoided you because I didn't wanna hurt you, Tifa."

"Hm?"

"My mark isn't until tomorrow night. I needed blood." He sighed before continuing. "So tonight, before I came to visit you I had to hunt..."

Tifa's heart dropped. "You had to kill someone."

He nodded. "I couldn't take it anymore...I tried, Tifa." Cloud looked back at her with a searching look.

Tifa sighed. She had to remind herself that that was what he had to do, whether he liked it or not. He tried not to, didn't he? "Next time...just ask me, okay?"

He stared at her as they turned onto their street. "Ask you what?"

She swallowed hard and nodded. "If you need a little...and it keeps you from killing someone..." She lifted her forearm. _'I don't want him to kill unless he absolutely has to.'_

"I can't take from you," he said in a quiet, somber voice.

Tifa scoffed. "You already did once." He looked down and she put her hand on his shoulder. "I trust you, Cloud."

Cloud looked back up, a small smile on his lips. "You didn't seem to trust me earlier with that girl." Tifa's jaw tensed, and the vampire couldn't help but chuckle. "It really was just a coincidence. She noticed me as I made my way to visit you." His face became bashful. "She kept flirting with me."

"I noticed," she said flatly.

"At least I didn't flirt back." He was slapped on the bicep and he chuckled again. "What? I didn't."

"You're such a jerk," Tifa said, trying not to smile as they came to the door, the vampire noticing her lips twitching upward. Cloud opened it and they both entered, Tifa heading upstairs to shower and change. Cloud sat on the couch after taking a book from the sparse bookshelf to wait for her, petting Squeak as he lay next to his master.

He looked over the book for a minute, thinking about Zack's messages. Was he right, that it wasn't about deserving? Cloud bit his lip as he flipped a page. _'Tifa was jealous.'_ Just like he was, and it felt good deep down he had to admit. He sighed and bounced a foot, still feeling indecisive. He would rather think of something else right now and deal with that later.

"I need to get you a bigger buddy, Squeak," he said after several minutes of petting and glancing at a page in the monster manual he had resting in his lap. The rat looked up and squeaked. "I want something that'll keep you two safe." More squeaks, and Cloud rolled his eyes. "I know you're capable but last time was pretty close. What if some hunters show up a little earlier in the day?"

Squeak seemed to raise a brow, then squeaked some more.

"I dunno. How about a snake? I'm kidding!" Cloud chuckled. He still felt a little giddy from alcohol and just being with Tifa. "I thought maybe some kinda monster would work." Squeak gave him an incredulous look. "It wouldn't be hard to sneak into the city...it's not like I'm thinkin' about a Nibel dragon."

The rat squeaked some more, head cocked. Cloud rubbed under the rodent's chin.

He thought for a few minutes. "I dunno. Something scary. Maybe a Sahaguin?" Protesting squeaks. "Okay, maybe it would smell like fish..." Cloud mumbled. He flipped a few pages. "Not a Behemoth...Goblins aren't even scary..." He narrowed his eyes at the next entry. "There's gargoyles outside of the city." Cloud looked down at Squeak. "I want one of those." The rat rolled his eyes. "I'm not being cliche."

"Want one of what?" Tifa came down the stairs with an inquisitive stare. She was wearing a white blouse and jean shorts, and Cloud noticed the ring hanging around her neck, as always.

Cloud pointed at a picture in the book he was holding. "I want one of these."

"A gargoyle? For what?" She studied the picture, concern in her eyes and her face a frown.

He stood up and put the book away. "Extra security. We can talk about that later, right now let's go out and do something fun."

Cloud took her out to eat at a late night food establishment, then took a walk on Junon's boardwalk. His buzz was long gone, but he still wanted to do something enjoyable with Tifa, whatever that would be. _'What would we do back home?'_

Tifa pointed at the moonlit beach. "Do you think we could find some shells?" She grinned at him, a glimmer in her eye he hadn't seen in so long. He was sure he held the same expression she did as he looked back and nodded.

They combed the beach together, muttering about any strange creatures that crossed their paths, like little crabs and bivalves trying to dig back into the cool sand. Cloud pulled at what looked like a large shell, but his triumph turned to disappointment as the shell turned out to be broken. Tifa laughed as he tossed the piece, and she began to comb the moist sand for something to bring home with her.

Tifa's sandals rested nearby as she waded into the shallows up to her shins, Cloud huffing as she motioned him to join her in the clear waters. "I don't wanna get wet."

She looked over her shoulder before bending over to look for anything the tide brought in. "Big scary vampire afraid of the water?" she teased.

He crossed his arms as he crouched down in the sand, looking back at her. She looked over and snorted at his narrowed eyes and tense jaw and went back to her shell hunt. After a minute she felt hands under her arms lift her up and she let out a shout before she floated towards deeper water, and she was promptly dunked in up to her head. Tifa gasped, the water cold. "You were saying?" Cloud's voice dripped with humor.

Tifa thrashed in Cloud's grip. "Oh no you don't!" She twisted about and maneuvered her upper arm around his neck, earning a surprised grunt from Cloud. She pressed her weight onto his upper body, and his head went under the water followed by Tifa, then the rest of his body as she gripped the back of his shirt.

They both came up, Tifa taking a fresh breath of air as Cloud gave an unconvincing pout to his friend. He took his time looking at her, how pale her skin was in the moonlight, how her eyes sparkled from the ripples in the gentle waves, how her hair clung to the sides of her face like inky vines. What little of her chest was above water shuddered from cold and laughter. He swam a little closer, taking one of her hands. _'It's okay...Zack said it's okay. We can figure out everything later.'_

She was watching him too, and she loved how the pale light almost seemed to make his half lidded blue eyes glow underneath his soaked bangs. His freckles were splattered with shining droplets and his mouth slowly curled into a smile as he came closer. Her breath hitched in her throat as he took her hand, her eyes searching his. "Cloud?"

"Tifa, I-"

He dodged a projectile that was aimed at his face, and he turned to glower at whoever interrupted his special moment on the beach. The woman was relatively tall by female standards, the hair light in the moonlight and she was wearing a little leather armor here and there. She held a scowl on her face and another arrow knocked into her bow. There was another next to her, about the same age with darker hair and similar apparel. She was a head shorter than the bow woman. Cloud rolled his eyes. "Could you two maybe go somewhere else?"

"Aren't you cocky." Her voice was husky and snarky. She stepped back a few paces as she aimed again. "You shouldn't have showed off with such high visibility tonight."

Cloud brought Tifa close then raised them both up from the water effortlessly as the arrow flew at him, grazing his pants. Tifa yelped at the sudden movement and looked down, estimating they were a good twenty feet in the air. "I'll fix that, I promise," he said.

"That's not going to work." She whipped out a sigil and placed it on the sand by her feet as the vampire's mists appeared, leaving the area around her clear for another shot before it could congregate above her. Cloud dodged as best he could, the arrow tearing at his ear.

Cloud grunted from the pain as the sacred metal tore his flesh. "Are you tryin' to kill her, too?" he shouted. "Let's see you dispel this." He focused on the creeping mists, the fog churning about the vampire hunter's circle of clarity and smothering both combatant's visibility as he flew off towards the boardwalk.

He heard their pursuers running roughly towards their direction but the mists poured over the area in a thick blanket. Cloud let go of Tifa as they reached the empty boardwalk, and he gave her a soft push before looking back towards the hunter as she clumsily found her way through the fog. "Tifa, go home." An arrow flew several feet away and he let out a dark chuckle. "Not so sure where to shoot now, huh?" he taunted. Cloud disappeared into the mists before Tifa could protest and she looked about, unsure whether to listen to her friend or not. In the end she stayed nearby but behind a trashcan in case an arrow came her way, ready to bail Cloud out of trouble if she could.

* * *

The vampire hunter took out her sword after placing her bow down and turned about the mists in her clearing, faces and eyes watching her in the churning clouds. Her partner took out a whip, and watched the edges of the clearing. The vampire had completely encased their sphere, and the lack of moonlight put them in a dangerous predicament. It wasn't something they hadn't dealt with before in their years of service, but it made it no less dangerous.

Predictably the vampire attempted to strike one from behind and she blocked with her sword, the creature glaring at her in the darkness before melting back into the swirling mists. She raised her weapon again only to be blasted by an invisible force, her paper sigil floating away and cutting a hole in the mist towards the sea before the fog rolled over them.

Another predictable move.

She sliced through the mists, and heard a grunt as she tore through the invisible demon. The illusion of snakes slithering on her legs caught her attention just a moment, something sharp cutting her exposed arm before her sword again blocked. Her partner's whip shot out and connected to something, and the woman yanked hard enough to make the vampire tumble. They both heard a snarl in the opaque mists, then the second vampire hunter felt something slice into her shin as she brought down a dagger. Two shouts, one male and the other female, issued out of the churning fog filled with disturbing faces and grasping hands.

The younger woman pulled with her whip again, then felt her quarry pull back hard, making her stumble forward. She brought out a hand and focused on the materia in her bracer; flames shot out in the direction of the vampire, and it hissed in pain as its grip on her whip weakened. She released the whip, the fira buying her and her superior some time, whose blurry silhouette was thrusting her sword downward in the misty arena at another dark form. Talons swiped at her face a moment later, and she barely dodged the attack, swiping with her dagger and catching his hand with the tip of the blade. She heard him growl in agitation, then the feeling of something crawling on her skin and then a harsh kick throwing her hard into the sand, knocking the wind out of her. Before she could look up and defend herself his presence was gone from her, but she could hear her superior fighting the monster now as he turned his attention to her as she attacked him from behind.

The other vampire hunter swung again in the general direction of the skirmish and connected to the night demon's body, his hostile blue eyes boring holes into her before disappearing again. She could see it here and there, the mists getting weaker as the vampire was further injured by the encounter. He tried to attack again and she blocked, his ichor smeared on her blade; a talon of his stabbed into her wrist and she got a clear look at his face, nicked here and there with a scorch mark blemishing his cheek. He brought the blood soaked finger to his face, licking the red fluid off while staring at her with hate filled, hungry eyes before disappearing again.

The mists seemed to strengthen just a little and she again turned about, listening for him. Her partner was beginning to recover if the heavy breaths from her direction were any indication. After a tense moment her sword pierced something solid as she felt talons tear deep into her face, then felt a foot shoving into her chest. "You missed your mark," he hissed as she fell to the sand, blinded and screaming from the pain. She couldn't see, but she could hear and feel him as he harshly kicked her weapon out of her hand. A hand lifted her up by her shirt and she could feel his fangs begin to pierce the skin of her throat as he tugged on her hair.

The vampire yelped as her partner bashed a vial of holy water onto the side of his face and he released her, her neck and face bleeding as the creature fled into what mists were still hanging about again but not after he clawed blindly at her approaching partner. She heard the other woman run up, shooting off another fire spell; the heat of the blast strung her injuries. Stopping in front of her, her partner sounded like she was crouching down and she assumed it was to look over the injuries to her face.

"Should I go after him? He's hurt pretty badly."

She shook her head. "He'll be as dangerous as a rabid dragon..." she muttered out, turning and spitting blood out of her mouth as it flowed from the deep lacerations. "I guess...lending you that materia saved your life." She tried to smile.

After a few moments she felt the worst of the wounds begin to close up, the soothing sensation of the Cure materia washing over her. Kedime always had a way with materia. "He wasn't alone, Nahki. That strange woman..."

"Probably a servant." Nahki sighed heavily, her face and wrist still in considerable pain. She sometimes wondered if it was a losing battle with the vampires of Junon. As she laid there in the sand she could hear Kedime call up another of their guild for assistance in transporting their injured comrade. After she hung up Nahki tried to relax, listening to the waves as they lapped upon the beach.

* * *

Tifa held Cloud in her arms, insisting he turn into a bat or something small so she could quickly take him home. Begrudgingly the limping, injured vampire had done so and she had scooped him up and cradled him by her chest as she jogged home; despite his injuries he decided that perhaps it wasn't tarnishing his pride as much as he would have thought. Tifa sneaked about the shadows as she made her way home and nearly burst through the door as Cloud unsealed it.

She took him up to his bedroom with Squeak trailing behind them both, obviously wanting to know what happened. "Cloud had a fight with a vampire hunter," Tifa explained. Many squeaks issued from the concerned rat, and Tifa wished she knew what he was trying to say.

Tifa placed her friend on his bed, the bat soon replaced by a bleeding, scorched, and cut up vampire. Cloud opened his eyes and gave a pained smile to his friend as he sat on the edge of his bed, who only looked at him with worry. "I'll be fine, Tifa. I just need to rest." The blood he had tonight would see to it, his injuries slowly healing. "They missed my heart."

She sat next to him, looking him over. "You should have just escaped with me."

"I know, but she saw us both. I didn't wanna take any chances." He sighed. "I guess it didn't matter in the end. I couldn't finish'em."

Tifa nodded, a sad look on her face. She left his room and fetched a few towels to soak up any ichor that hadn't dried yet, and began peeling off his now ruined shirt, tearing at the collar and ripping downward so he wouldn't have to make unnecessary movements. Underneath the shirt were some more burn marks and scars on his pale chest, marring lean yet powerful muscles.

He noticed where her gaze landed. "That night, five years ago. I got them then." He noticed her face become more despondent, as if reminded of something sad. "It's in the past, Tifa..."

"Yeah..." she sighed, looking about. Tifa took a towel and pat his face of any holy water residue while he placed a few towels under his bloody shoulder as he laid down. The slash across his chest was already closing up and the bleeding had stopped from his shoulder. _'If I hadn't had any blood tonight this would have been a lot worse.'_

Tifa sat next to him, still soaked and shivering slightly as she cleaned him up. He looked up into her eyes. "If you wanna get cleaned up, I'll be fine."

She nodded after a moment and left, and he closed his eyes as he rubbed his face. Forever hunted, forever some nightmare in the shadows, and now the local guild might know what he looked like. He thought back to Zack's messages. He had come so close to telling Tifa, but now he wasn't sure if he should again. Surely Tifa would get tired of this, wouldn't she?

But she chose a profession that was filled with risks. Looking for _him_.

He laid there with a hand over his abdomen and the other stretched out, Squeak rubbing against it. After some time had passed he heard Tifa come up the stairs and then come back into his room. He opened his eyes slightly as she entered and sat on his bed again, looking over his injured ear and the burn marks on his face. "Are you sure you'll be fine?"

Cloud grinned, eyes closing again. "Yeah."

"Okay. If you're sure." He felt her bring her feet up on his bed, and he peeked again. Tifa's knees were drawn to her chest and she was looking down at him. He raised a brow. "Don't want my company?" she asked, uncertain if he wanted anyone near him as he recovered.

He snorted. "I do. Stay if you'd like." _'Please.'_

Cloud looked over at the clock on his nightstand. It was nearly four, and the sun came out earlier and earlier every morning until late June. He looked back at Tifa, her back to him as she laid down on the other side of the bed in her night clothing. Slowly her breath evened out, and then she very softly snored.

She was concerned for him, and it brought that feeling back into his chest he had earlier as he looked at her in the water. Cloud looked away, a small smile on his face. "I love you," he whispered to the sleeping woman. He still wondered if she felt the same way.


	11. Journey Through the Underworld

Rox walked down the road, Aerith holding her hand. It wouldn't be safe out for much longer, the sun very nearly set, but after the night before she decided she couldn't take it anymore. That vampire could go into her house any time he wanted and do whatever he wanted to Aerith, and who knows what he wanted to do with Rox herself after that one night she was almost killed.

Aerith had to be given some safety. Master Tristitia said there was a place that could be safe for a potential victim of a vampire, but Rox declined after completing her present for her friend.

"After we visit your church, I'm gonna have to visit Tifa's house. She wanted me to clean out her fridge before anything went bad," Aerith said, looking about the darkening, red tinted pathway as they approached the plaza that held the cathedral. "Zack said he would help if he gets done before work, but I don't know if he'll make it in time...He said he's been busier than usual."

"Oh. What does he do for a living?" Besides suck blood, of course.

Aerith frowned. "You know, every time I ask the conversation just goes into something else. It would be nice to surprise him at work for once."

"Yeah." Rox cleared her throat. "What's he like?"

"Excitable, friendly. Dependable, too." Aerith nodded. "Sometimes a little too excitable, but I find it adorable."

Rox hummed in reply. She decided that vampires weren't just dangerous, they were capricious. One sparing her at the last second, another trying to kill her, and Zack watching her fight it. What were the thumbs up about? She wished Tifa, the real Tifa, was there to explain all of this.

They entered the cathedral, Aerith's emerald eyes lighting up as she looked at the colored glass windows and the large brass statue of a goddess behind the altar. Rox pointed at the different windows, naming off saints. She led Aerith to the back and into her room, showing her around.

"And that's all the books I gotta study...They ride my ass if they don't think I've studied enough," Rox groused.

Aerith laughed. "I suppose if you're going into the priesthood, you would have to study hard, wouldn't you?"

The teen rolled her eyes. "I guess so." Not that she was going to correct her friend any. The guild was relatively secretive, if just because they would be seen as paranoid, superstitious nut-jobs by the masses. The churches financed it all, and the smaller churches that dotted villages usually had a hunter who also held a job at something else to make ends meet. Rox walked up to her nightstand and picked up a necklace with a talisman nestled inside a little glass and metal frame. She handed it to Aerith. "This keeps away certain kinds of monsters, or so they say."

Aerith cocked her head as she took it, studying the little design peeking out of the glass at her. "What kind of monsters?"

"Oh, you know. Ghosts n' ghouls n' vampires." And anything like that, if the book was anything to go by.

Aerith chuckled and put the necklace on. "Well, if it keeps away baddies like you said." She looked at the talisman again before tucking it in her dress. "The green swirls make an interesting pattern."

Rox smiled. "Yeah. Kinda reminds me of spring." She was glad Aerith liked it. It had taken her a dozen tries to get it just right, that particular talisman was nearly impossible for most to make without some artistic ability, the magic peculiar. It would be in more widespread use in the guild if not for the difficulty of its creation, she thought.

They stayed and talked a little while longer, then Aerith asked where the bathroom was. Rox took her towards it and eyed that strange man with a friend of his talking to Master Tristitia before going back to her room to wait for her friend.

She sighed heavily. How was she going to tell Aerith that she was in danger because of a vampire? Most people would find that laughable until their so-called friend or lover tore out their jugular, but then it was too late. _'Master Tristitia said she would speak with her before she left. Maybe she can convince her she's in danger...At least she took the talisman.'_

Rox waited, kicking her legs over the edge of her bed while looking at her phone as the minutes wore on. She looked at the last messages Tifa had sent her, asking her to meet up for breakfast at her place the afternoon before she disappeared. What was she up to now? Certainly nothing good. Rox couldn't let something similar happen to Aerith. She looked at her clock, it had been ten minutes. Frowning she headed back towards the bathroom, knocking on the door. "Ya fall in?"

No response.

She knocked again, then tried the knob. It opened, and the room was empty. Rox looked about the hallway then towards the back of the cathedral, looking about for Aerith. She came across a priestess who was just entering the cathedral from the back, her eyes widening then hardening. Rox grimaced, hoping to not get reprimanded for some forgotten rule she broke.

"Uh, I'm sorry Sister, but have you seen my friend?"

The priestess' face softened, and she let out a breath. "Oh. What did she look like?"

"White dress, brown hair, green eyes...'bout this tall." Rox sat her hand a bit above her head.

The priestess looked down and rubbed her chin with a hand. "I...saw her walk off with Master Tristitia and Master Wylu a while ago."

"Which way?"

The priestess pointed towards another door that lead to the side of the cathedral. Rox nodded in thanks and went off without a clue as to where they went. Maybe they went out for some air as well?

Master Tristitia greeted her eyes as she burst through the door. Rox looked at her with near panicked eyes, and the older woman looked taken aback by the teen's sudden appearance. "Where's Aerith?"

Master Tristitia cleared her throat. "We had to move quickly after our little talk, Rox. I assure you she is in safe hands now."

Rox frowned. Wouldn't that safe place be inside the cathedral? Zack wouldn't be able to approach the place. But how did Master Tristitia convince Aerith of the danger she was in? It was a hard sell on even the most open minded of people, and she had a powerful talisman now. "Where did you take my friend?"

Master Tristitia narrowed her eyes. "She's safe."

"What did you do to her?" Rox whispered. "She trusted me. What did you do?"

"There's a vampire looking for her," the master said sternly. "Master Wylu is watching over her."

Rox wasn't the the best student in the guild, but she wasn't stupid. "You're using her as bait." She narrowed her eyes. "I expect this kinda crap from a vampire, not a vampire hunter." She sidestepped from the door.

"Don't you understand? This is for the greater good. How many people can we save through a vampire's interest in the living? It's not as if we would let her be killed in the process."

Rox opened her mouth several times with curses she wished to mutter, then a knock at the open door took her attention towards the priestess looking back and forth at them. "Master Tristitia, there was someone wishing to see you at the front of the cathedral."

The master's jaw tensed as she looked between the two, then pointed at Rox. "Back to your studies. I will meet you in your room after I'm done with this visitor." Tristitia looked at the priestess. "What was their name?"

The priestess' brow furrowed. "He didn't say. He was of dark countenance, however."

Master Tristitia nodded, frowning, and entered the cathedral, disappearing from both women. The priestess gave Rox an appraising look. "Do what you think is right," she whispered before closing the door behind her.

Rox darted into the alley, skirting about the edges to be less obvious to anyone of an unsavory nature lurking about. Rox moved as quickly and as silently as she could, trying to catch up with Master Wylu, if it was the right path she took. For the greater good? Weren't vampire hunters supposed to be better than their prey? What if it didn't work out as planned?

Rox bit her lip and moved faster. What kind of cutthroat church was this? The ones in her hometown never would have done anything like this. She understood finishing off vampires was a good thing, but bringing unwilling people into the fray wasn't good. Besides, she had that talisman now, Zack wouldn't be able to touch her without some considerable pain in the process.

As she pressed further into the twilight, a glow came up ahead. Rox's heart was in her throat as she rushed deeper into the darkness. The glow grew in the distance as she ran, her lungs starting to burn. Was Aerith where the glow was? Rox deduced they couldn't have gotten that far if they weren't running the whole time. There was a chance.

There, in the glow of a lone lamp, were two figures handling a third. "Hey! Hands off Aerith!" she shouted.

They looked over at her, almost dropping the woman. "Rox!" It was Master Wylu. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"You're kidnapping my friend for bait and you're gonna ask me what I'm doing?" she spat.

"Yo, who's the kid?" said the other man. "She ain't gonna get in the way, is she?"

In the gloom Rox could see master Wylu glare at her. "She won't." He held out a hand. _"Sleep,"_ and everything went black.

* * *

Zack couldn't believe it. Following Scotch from the cathedral to the edge of sector six, he found out who exactly was helping those vampire hunters locate guild members. It was the Wall Market Mob, run by Don Mutten. He wondered why they would be helping in such a risky endeavor. How much were they being paid for this?

He hung on the roof near an open window on the top floor, where the mob boss would probably be. Zack's beady little blue eyes looked inside, and with no one to be found, he flew in. Changing back he glanced about the room, eyeing an office desk with papers on it. With soft steps he walked over and looked through them for anything he could use. A list of mobster names was just what he needed, and perhaps this note addressed to Mutten.

Zack opened it up and read it while keeping an ear out for trouble. His jaw tensed; this was from the mole and not only was there information on another vampire in the guild, but names of several malcontents willing to assist in a hostile take over.

_'What the hell?'_

He didn't have time to think over the new information as footsteps and voices traveled up unseen stairs. he stuffed the papers into his shirt and disappeared out the window again, hanging his furry little bat body right above and to the side of the window to eavesdrop.

"...so they're wasting time on an unknown vampire at the time."

"Yes, Don."

There was a resigned sigh. "Hopefully it's one of the ones we found for them. I don't care about the other blood suckers in this city, but getting the ones in the assassin's guild knocked out will weaken them enough where we can push in." Zack heard the creak of a chair. "Hopefully they don't end up missing like the last ones. How hard is it to kill a sleeping vamp?"

"They have slaves, boss." Zack heard footsteps get closer and the sound of breathing by the window. He stared towards the source, and after a few moments who ever it was left.

"So maybe let them borrow a few of our men for extra muscle. Show'em how it's done...Worth it in the end." There was the sound of drumming fingers on wood. "How'd they plan to nab a vampire during the night if they're so dangerous?"

"They caught a friend of its."

There was a rumbling laughter. "Anything to get the job done."

Zack had heard enough. He flew off towards more familiar territory, mulling over the conversation between Scotch and his boss. Who was this other vampire they were hunting down, and how did they get a hold of their friend? It came off as a bit sadistic.

He landed and sat upon the roof of a building and read over the papers thoroughly. The mole was using a code name, that he knew. Pyre. One of the possible traitors' names listed was familiar to him, a mid-level associate he had met a few times here and there. He went back to his travels towards his guild, landing near an assumed tavern and entering. The dark and wooden decor was something out of a Medieval setting in his opinion, and a little dank and dreary for his tastes. Still he had found himself occasionally drinking and talking with Cloud or another friend here, regardless of the atmosphere.

Zack walked into the back and traveled down the stairs past the kitchen, leading to an old oak door. He knocked three times and an opening slid open, a pair of eyes staring at him. "Passw-oh. Zack." There was a click and the door opened.

"You never let me say the password anymore. I'm gonna forget it at this rate."

The guard huffed. "Yeah, yeah. I'll keep it in mind, sunshine."

"Thanks!" Zack said without missing a beat. He went towards a second door on the other side of the large stony room, a few associates populating it as they lounged and looked over notes. It was decorated in green tapestries and expensive furniture, wall sconces softly lighting the area. He remembered the first time he took Cloud here, the new vampire wide eyed and still dismayed at the prospect of having to murder to live. He couldn't blame him, it still bothered him at times. He chalked it up to enjoying human company so much, though his friend was almost a shut in and he hadn't become bitter yet.

Entering the next, narrower room he straightened his back and stuck out his chest a little, their leader behind the door at the other end. The man had been in charge of the guild for the last thirty years and trusted Zack as a close confidant in the organization; it was why he was put on the case in the first place. He knocked on the door and entered after a muffled voice told him to come in.

"Zack...you have new intel, I hope?" The man asked with a wary voice. He stroked his short, grayish beard.

Zack took out the papers. "Might have a mutiny brewin', Crowley."

Crowley made a face, then snatched the papers from his subordinate. Reading through them the worry lines on his face deepened, then he looked back up at Zack. "So they're using the church to cut into our more...long term members. Then use that weakness to absorb the guild into their mob with the help of some people on the inside." A mirthless chuckle came from his lips. "Ambitious."

Zack nodded. "So, how do we find out who the mole is?"

"Well, it's obviously not a vampire, so your lot is out of the equation. I'll have Serah snoop around, and in the mean time, you can watch after...James Creek from time to time when he's not on duty." Crowley flipped through the notes once more. "They'll be on to us soon, and I'm hoping it's just this one, idiotic branch of this vampire hunter's guild acting desperate, I'd rather not have to assassinate the city's faithful for free."

Zack hummed and nodded. Just another thing to keep track of during the short nights of summer. "You can count on me, Crowley."

Crowley glanced up with his marble green eyes and smirked. "I always can, Zack." He went back to the papers before dismissing Zack from his office.

Upon leaving the guild hall and then the bar Zack crossed his arms and looked about. James was on duty tonight, and he promised Aerith he'd help clean out Tifa's fridge; he walked to be intentionally late, not knowing what kind of wards Tifa may have had placed inside her home. He figured he could make it up to Aerith with a nice dinner.

Zack surmised he hadn't fallen this hard for a woman since before his death, Clarissa and Aerith looking similar enough to be sisters, but not twins. Aerith was rosier and her hair darker, and Clarissa's more golden and wavy with porcelain skin, but the eyes, those are what struck him the most in both women. Playful and green, shining even in the low light of streetlamps. When he first met those eyes after Cloud had tackled him too close to the roof before flying off again, it was like seeing Clarissa all over again.

He looked down. The girl he couldn't save. Part of him wished he had died for good next to her that night. At least Cloud had a chance to save a few strangers; Zack had no such luck. A vampire had ambushed them in mist, plucking Clarissa first. Zack caught the vampiress in an alley as she fed on his love, and somehow, despite the injuries from the fight, he was able to jam his sword into her chest as she straddled him and attempted to claw his face. Her ichor pooled over his terrible injuries before he shoved the monster off of his sword, infecting the dying man. The last thing he saw before bleeding out were those green eyes of Clarissa, wide and dead.

Zack had thought that was that, and then he wondered why he was thinking at all. In a panic he shoved open his dark little prison that was hidden inside a public mausoleum for the champions of the city that had died protecting it. That woman that killed his love, she stood there mumbling an apology for what had happened. Zack wasn't a hateful person in the least, but every time he remembered that face it made his blood boil still to this day. She had unintentionally tortured him, a confused and emotionally jarred vampire, with talk of her hunger and how she couldn't help it as he ran off into the night. He didn't care, she killed them both and he would share her fate, feeding off the living.

His home was still his home, he found. That was good, a place to think where that monster woman couldn't hound him with excuses. Feeling safe, he mourned the rest of the night. He didn't remember falling asleep, just waking up again; his wrist and hand were in pain, and they looked burned in a way. He was confused a moment until he remembered what had happened the night before, and that he hadn't breathed a single lungful of air since he woke up. His couch and living room was mostly shaded from the sun, but a little trickled through from behind the curtains during the day. He sat there in contemplation for a while, before deciding in a very Zack-like fashion that he should probably try to make the most of what had happened to him.

And somehow kill the woman who caused this.

It didn't start out easy. He didn't and still doesn't like killing people just because he's needy, but he'd be the first to admit he had had some shameful slip ups until another vampire found him wandering about near his home. This vampire assisted the wary Zack, eventually helping him acquire a place in the assassin's guild. That vampire left Midgar a year later, but Zack would always be thankful to him. He hoped he was still 'alive' and well, almost sixty years since they parted.

Eventually he did have his revenge on the vampire that sucked his Clarissa dry, leading to a battle after he surprised her before she could feed on a teen she seduced. Zack was battered and bruised, but she didn't have a weapon with the reach of his broadsword, and clearly hadn't fed as recently as he had. He feinted and she took the bait, and off came her head. Her body was burned with the assistance of materia and he tossed her head at a church door, hoping the hunters within would know how to treat the garbage he left for them.

Zack hummed in disappointment as he approached the house Aerith told him to meet at. No one was here, the lights were out, and as he rummaged about he found the hidden key his girlfriend had spoken about. She hadn't been here, or maybe she had been but had to leave? He snapped his fingers as an idea came to him. He turned into his favorite shape, a spiky furred black wolf, and sniffed the doormat.

Aerith hadn't come by.

Letting out a disapproving groan, he walked out onto the sidewalk and sniffed about. There was Aerith's scent, faint but growing as he followed it, and he looked about every once in a while for anyone watching him. Zack wasn't too worried, most people would mistake him for a dog he assumed.

_'The cathedral?'_ What was she doing there? He sat down in front of the cathedral, staring at it. Zack had been there to see Hanna after Scotch strolled off a few minutes before; it wasn't like he would be hard to track now. He had watched in the shadows as the mysterious man left, Hanna making a subtle hand gesture towards the hidden vampire to come closer. That was indeed Scotch, and she offhandedly mentioned some of the guild masters preoccupied with a female visitor she had never seen before-

He charged towards a side of the cathedral, sniffing for some sign of Aerith. After several minutes he found it again, muddled with other scents. What did they do? He didn't like vampire hunters but they generally weren't what he would consider underhanded. Brutal sometimes, but working with a mob? That smells of ideological desperation to him.

The wide alley in front of him was deserted, but the scent was fresh enough; it couldn't have been longer than three hours since this happened. Were they taking her to the mob boss as tribute? A disgusting thought that made him trot faster. The trail continued on, and in the first time in a long time he felt foreboding in the darkness.

That's when he smelt it, blood. Zack looked around and found an injured and unconscious man, and getting close he noticed Aerith's scent clung to him lightly. He was tempted to assist the man if just to collect information from him, but if whoever did this had Aerith there was no telling what they would do to her.

Following the trail yet again he came across an abandoned building, her trail leading there. The door was open a bit, and since it wasn't a domicile he let himself in. Zack looked around, frowning. He could hear the sound of the building settling, loud and creaking ominously. The sooner he rescued Aerith the better, especially in such a dirty, unsafe place. He continued his tracking of the flower girl up a flight of dust covered stairs, the walls of the stairwell dull and chipping paint.

Something flew by him after a loud bang as he reached the top step and he jumped in surprise before looking for cover. Zack ran towards an open room and slid in as he changed back, dark wisps dissipating about him. He listened closely as he prepared his next move.

"You shot at a damn dog."

"Well, I'm kinda nervous. We're goin' toe to toe with some creepy blood sucker." The voice sounded uncertain.

"Bah! That old man says they're so dangerous, but come on. Half that stuff gotta be bunk, anyway."

"I dunno, the way he was goin' on before you knocked him out he was pretty adamant about usin' his protections."

Zack heard a snort. "He shoulda shut up, tryin' a boss me around...Whatever, I'll show him how it's done. A bullet works on anything."

"I guess." There was a pause. "What if he doesn't show up? That old man never said how he was gonna find us, just that he would."

"We give the rugrat back to the church and keep the vixen. She don't belong to them. And I don't freakin' know."

"Fair enough."

Zack deduced the man he found must have been a vampire hunter, and these two thought bullets would stop a vampire? This was going to be easy. He left the room with a smirk. "Helloooooo?" he called out.

A flare was tossed down near his position then Zack heard the sounds of guns cocking, and he looked up at the two would be assassins, their eyes trained on him. An instant later he charged up the stairs, their gunshots ringing out in loud bursts as they emptied their guns of ammo. Zack heard one mumble that he had shot the intruder in the chest, and he instinctively pat his chest as he crouched down in the darkness, watching the bumbling idiots look for him in the area underneath them. So he had a bullet hole or three in his clothing, he was fine.

Zack dashed again, towards the thugs, and the first one yelped as Zack brought his full body weight into him as fast as he could, breaking the flimsy guard-wall and tossing them both over the edge. The assailant landed with a thud into a pile of metal and concrete rubble, Zack circling back towards the second thug as a squeaking little bat.

He landed and changed back on top of the man, pinning him to the floor. "You guys _really_ shoulda listened to that old geezer." Zack took the thug's head in both hands and quickly twisted, a satisfying crunch coming from the neck. He stood up and looked back at the first assailant, and he was still. Now he could save Aerith from this derelict building.

"Aerith?" he called out. Zack heard some muffled noises down the hall from him and he strode towards the source, pushing aside the partially unhinged door. In the darkness there were two tied up, gagged, familiar women: Rox and Aerith. "It's me, Zack!"

He walked over and crouched in front of Aerith, and went to pull the gag out of her mouth but recoiled his fingers, grimacing. He frowned and tried again, a sharp pain shooting up his fingers and causing him to groan. "Damn. Why does it hurt...?"

Aerith's eyes were wide and nostrils flaring, and she glanced at Rox. Zack raised a brow and turned his attention to Rox, walking and crouching in front of her next. If Aerith's eyes were wide, Rox's looked like they were going to pop out of her head. She jerked her head as he took the gag out of her mouth. "What's wrong with Aerith?" he asked in a quiet voice. She just stared back, trembling.

He sighed. "Come on. You took on that vampire, talkin' to me isn't gonna be hard." Zack tried to give an encouraging smile to the teen, forgetting that it was too dark for her to see, but her eyes wavered back and forth between he and Aerith's general direction. He scratched the back of his head and sat down on the dusty floor, thinking about what to do next.

"I-I protected her. From things like you." Rox looked slightly defiant.

"Oh. You must really care about Aerith, huh?" Rox hesitantly nodded. "So...you won't leave her with me alone, right?"

Rox bit her lip. "I wouldn't." She feared vampires, but she wouldn't leave a friend.

"Can you untie Aerith for me? She's havin' a hard time breathing...I'm not asking you to take off whatever protection you have on her, I just want her free. Please," he asked quietly.

She looked between Zack and Aerith, then nodded. Rox felt the bindings come loose, first her wrists and then her ankles. The teen hesitated a moment, then moved over to Aerith to unbind her. Aerith gasped a few quick breaths as the gag left her mouth, then coughed a few times as dust choked her lungs. "I never shoulda brought you to the cathedral..." Rox whispered. "I didn't know, I swear..."

"Your church is a bit different than the one I grew up by, Rox," she replied in a hoarse voice as her bindings came loose. Aerith looked at Zack, hardly visible in the darkness, then took off the talisman and grabbed his hand as it rested on his knee. "Thank you for saving us, Zack."

"Anything for you, Aerith!" He smiled and rubbed the back of his head. Zack stood and helped Aerith up, Rox holding her other arm protectively while watching the vampire with wary eyes. "But right now we need to get outta here...Hold on."

Zack decided he had to get both women out of Midgar, and quick; they were going to be targets and he didn't need that while dealing with a mob. He promised to watch over Rox and there was no way he was going to let Aerith be kidnapped again, but where could he take them? He took out his phone and dialed Kunsel, a human he befriended ten years ago.

"Hey, Kunsel? Could you meet me at...it's an alley near the intersection of Thundaga avenue and Toad street. No, I need help with an escape plan. Oh, stop laughin', this is serious, man! Thanks, I owe ya one. Couple minutes? Alright." Zack put his phone away and looked at both females, sighing. "He'll be here soon."

Rox squeaked. "Great, another vampire."

He beckoned them out of the room. "Kunsel isn't like me."

"You're gonna tell us you have living people for friends?" Still she followed, not wanting Aerith out of her sight.

"What, am I not supposed to have friends or something?"

Aerith shook her head as she was guided towards the steps. "This isn't the place to bicker," she said simply. "Let's talk later, the dust in the air is hurting my lungs." Aerith coughed again.

Zack took out his phone again and looked down at it, biting his lip. He hadn't heard back from Cloud since the night he said he would speak to Tifa. He sent him a message and hoped he would agree to his scheme. As he walked down the stairs his phone vibrated. He opened it up to Cloud's response.

**Sorry I didn't answer last night. My phone got wet, had to let it dry.**

**It's alright, buddy. Hey, I have a tiny little favor to ask.**

**Anything.**

**I need you to house Aerith and Rox.** There was a small pause before Zack saw the dots on the bottom of the screen.

**Anything but that.**

**You said anything! Something happened, I need to get them out of the city.** Zack waited for a response as he finished descending the flight of stairs with the women, but it seemed Cloud was waiting for an explanation. **Look, I'll tell you when I get to Junon tonight.**

**You better. I wasn't expecting company.**

**Oh, we aren't crashing you and Tifa's fun, are we?**

**I didn't get to tell her.**

**Spike...**

**Worry about getting here for now. Stay safe, Zack.**

Zack put his phone away before peeking out the door, the coast clear. Rox held Aerith's arm defensively, eyeing Zack. He glanced over at her with a frown. "Y'know, I'm pretty sure it's real obvious by now that I'm not gonna hurt you."

Rox swallowed. "W-well...why help me? Weren't you watchin' that one vampire have his way with me?"

Aerith's brows came together. "You watched her get attacked?"

Zack waved his hands. "I didn't want rumors goin' around so I helped in other ways...like telling you which way to go, or that you should've had something on you to repel him. Or blast you onto the church steps."

Rox stared at him. "Why did you do that?"

"Because my friend told me Tifa cares about you a lot, and he asked me to keep you safe." Zack shrugged. "You don't seem so bad, anyway."

Rox sucked in a breath and looked away. "I...I guess you don't seem so bad, either..." she admitted. "Under the circumstances."

They made their way towards the intersection he mentioned to Kunsel and waited in the shadows. A minute later and a truck appeared, then out of the idling vehicle came a hooded figure. Zack popped out of his hiding spot and the figure looked his way.

"What's up with the mask?" Zack frowned at the hockey mask covering his friend's face.

Kunsel shrugged. "I'm probably gonna be doing something questionable tonight."

"Well, I mean it's got nothin' to do with the law, man..." He turned towards the women, motioning them towards the truck. "Hey, it's alright." The two approached and both Zack and Kunsel assisted them into the truck bed, and Zack told his friend where he wanted to go: The train station. "We got enough time to get on the last train to Junon."

Kunsel nodded. "Sure thing." He hopped into the driver's seat as Zack took a seat next to Aerith. A moment later and the truck lurched and they were off towards the the train station.

Rox was looking around while holding onto Aerith's arm. "Where are you taking us?"

"Someplace safe," he said as he looked at the stars peeking behind the clouds. Zack glanced at Aerith, a pleading look in her eyes.

"Now that we're out of there...What's going on, Zack?"

"Some bad things, if you haven't noticed...and now you two are involved." He sighed heavily, then noticed she was looking at his torso. Specifically, the bullet holes in his shirt. "I'm fine, Aerith."

"They shot you." She looked over at Rox, the teen biting her lip, then back at Zack. "You really are..."

He rubbed the back of his head and looked away. "I might be."

Aerith nodded as she pursed her lips, then again looked at Rox. "The ones that took me. They were part of the church, right?"

She didn't answer right away, her nerves still thoroughly shaken as she sat, defenseless, in the shadow of a vampire. "Vampire hunters...like me." Rox shifted uncomfortably as she held onto Aerith. _'If I could be considered one, even.'_

"Why would they do such a thing?" Her voice was more than a little angry.

Rox shrugged, a forlorn look in her eyes. "They said for the greater good, but...I've never seen anything like this before. I mean I haven't been there that long but still...it feels off." She looked up at the sky for a moment, a sigh passing her lips. "When I found out what they were doing I ran off after you."

Aerith looked back at Zack, wary. "You said you were going to keep her safe? Even if she's a vampire hunter?"

Zack nodded. "I promise, she's staying with you."

She licked her lips. "A...vampire...That's why you fell through my roof without being injured. Why you were so pale...Why I never see you during the day." She looked back up at him. "And, you came for me tonight."

He flashed a grin at her. "I'm supposed to. I'm your boyfriend still, I hope." His confident grin wavered. "I mean, I'll understand if not...I hid it from you." Would she still trust him? He wasn't sure.

"Hm." She looked back at Rox. He went out of his way to save her, and a so-called vampire hunter too. Aerith didn't really know much about the subject, but Rox had been terrified of Zack. The Zack she knew however, wasn't someone to fear. She took one of Zack's hands. "I have a lot of questions."

He grabbed her hand in both of his. "And I'll answer 'em. The train ride should give us time to talk."

Rox just watched, uncertain and still scared. Why couldn't she have just taken the talisman to Aerith? No, she had to get her to talk to Master Tristitia, who happened to be a kidnapper of all things. Maybe they were doomed. Then again, Zack really did save them. Maybe the church wasn't right about all of them? Her recent experiences made her consider that.

Aerith raised a brow. "When will we be in Junon?"

"A couple of hours before dawn," he assured her.

The truck made it to the train station minutes later, and Zack helped Aerith off, Rox hopping out by herself and sticking right next the Aerith. Kunsel poked his head out of the window of the truck and towards his friend. "You gonna be back?"

"Tomorrow night. Gonna stay at a friend's when I get where we're goin'." He smiled at Kunsel and gave a thankful nod. "I owe ya big, man."

Kunsel gave a mock salute. "You've gotten me outta worse. Good luck." His head went back into the cabin and the truck accelerated away, leaving the three by the entrance. Zack headed towards the inviting light with the other two in tow.

Aerith looked up at Zack. "So, who's this friend we're staying with?"

He grinned. "Cloud and Tifa."

"T-Tifa? She...she's...okay, right?" Rox asked. She wasn't sure if she wanted to see Tifa or not. What if she was a vampire now, too?

Zack scoffed. "As if Cloud would do anything to her." He bought the three tickets at the booth, then the group walked towards the train as it waited for people to board.

Aerith stared at the train as they came closer, then let out a little gasp. "What about my flower shop?"

"I'll water your flowers while you're gone, Aerith," Zack replied.

They entered the train and found a quiet little room to sit in. Rox sat in the corner, staring mournfully out the window at all the people walking one way or another. Aerith sat opposite of Rox, glancing out the window then back at Zack, who sat next to her. The group was silent, Aerith putting a hand over Zack's. He found it strangely reassuring.

Eventually the train moved, and soon the station fell away and all there was outside was darkness and dim lights.

Zack leaned over to Aerith's ear. "You can take a nap if you wanna. It'll be some hours before we get to Junon," he whispered.

Aerith nodded and leaned on his shoulder. "We're going to see Cloud and Tifa...Why is she hiding?" Aerith asked. "I think you should finally tell me, Zack."

"Hoo-boy. Alright, but after this you should probably save your questions for later. Okay? This is all from Cloud's mouth anyway." Zack told her exactly what happened that night Tifa disappeared, Rox listening intently.

"So he kept her at his home until some of her guild members showed up-"

"Master Regis and Huey. They're dead, aren't they?" Rox asked quietly.

"Yeah. Tifa told them to leave, but they thought she was under Cloud's control. She didn't kill them, though. Just tried to get them to leave." He snorted. "As if vampire hunters ever listen." It took several hellish nights to convince Tifa Cloud was really him, and that was because it was someone she knew. The others never would have entertained the thought.

Rox gave him a venomous glare and he smirked. Aerith sighed and he looked back at her, her bangs tickling his chin and cheek. "This is leading to more questions than answers," she said flatly.

"Yeah. Just get some rest, you two. I'll wake you before we head out." He felt Aerith nod before moving her head back a little, resting on his shoulder and the seat cushion. After several minutes her breathing started to even out, obviously worn out from her misadventure. Zack watched as Rox tried to get comfortable, a sad look on her face and her eyes watery.

"You okay?" he whispered.

She snorted softly. "My life's been upended again. What do you think?"

"Sorry."

Rox looked down as she held her knees close in her seat. "Whatever. I wasn't any good at that, anyway," she said bitterly.

Zack shrugged the shoulder Aerith wasn't using. "You've got plenty of time to figure out what you're good out, y'know." He was silent for a few minutes before he continued. "Life is totally not fair. But it doesn't mean you should give up."

Rox nodded, then let out a humorless chuckle. "I'm bein' pep-talked by a freakin' vampire. This has to be some fever dream."

"Maybe if you go to sleep you'll wake up back in your own bed," Zack joked. Rox rolled her eyes, then leaned against the seat cushion, closing her eyes.

Zack watched her from time to time as the train ride wore on. He remembered back to Tifa's indoctrination, but Rox seemed far less hostile and much more fearful, but a lot more reasonable too. _'She just needs time.'_ He listened to the sounds of the train for a while before leaning his head back on the seat. All he could wonder about as the two women napped was if Aerith really would accept him for who he was in the end, after the shock wore off.


	12. Adult Slumber Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the thanks toEmerial for added bantz!

"Are you sure they're out here, Cloud?"

"Yeah. The monster manual said gargoyles like lonely old ruins and caves," he assured his friend as they wandered the dark plains beyond Junon. They had left the truck they had rented on the side of the road and had gone a mile out into the wilderness.

Tifa stomped through some high grass, watching fireflies dance about the air. "I guess it could be worse..." she mumbled. Cloud knew she wasn't totally sold on the idea, but she understood why he wanted such a monster in the house.

Cloud grinned as he looked about for his quarry's hiding spot. "I could use that big spider I saw in the basement."

Tifa's face warped with disgust. "You better not." She received a dry chuckle in reply.

They wandered off some more, the moonlight spilling upon the landscape. Eventually they came across some battered stone ruins, possibly the remains of a mill considering its proximity to a river. They stopped at the entrance, which led to a room with the other wall and ceiling gone. There was a stairway leading down into what they assumed was a cellar.

"One might be down there," Cloud whispered. "Wait here. This is gonna be easy." He disappeared down the rickety stairs before she could say anything.

This was the second night they went looking for gargoyles. Tifa sighed and thought back to the last two nights. Cloud had wanted to say something to her before those vampire hunters showed up, but he hadn't told her what despite her asking him. All he did was look away and say it could wait.

She had let it go for now, with more pressing matters at hand. The vampire hunters had escaped and knew what they looked like. She wasn't worried for herself as much as she worried for Cloud, however. She wasn't as conspicuous as he was. Because of her worry, Tifa had gone out as Cloud hunted for his mark and bought him a hoody, since his spikes were so noticeable. He had greatly appreciated it, a warm smile plastered on his face as he looked over the new article of clothing.

She knew vampires could recover from injury so long as they had enough blood and their heart wasn't pierced by certain things, but it was still jarring waking up to him uninjured after such a fight. Still, she wanted to avoid more bloodshed in the future. Tifa had looked him over in the lamplight after waking up, and she couldn't help but cup his lifeless cheek with her hand after brushing his long bangs away from his face. The thought of losing him again had run through her mind, causing her to shudder.

Tifa snapped out of her thoughts as a commotion came from beneath her, and she backed away and towards the doorway just in time as a gargoyle burst through the weather rotted wood of the floor with Cloud holding on to its neck for dear life. "Maybe not as easy as I thought...!" He managed to say before being tossed off the monster and onto the ground. It roared before it dived at the vampire that invaded its lair.

Tifa lunged at it after it landed on top of Cloud, grappling the wings back and causing it to thrash about in a rage trying to get her off. It swiped at the air and thrashed about its tail, then began clawing at her legs and tearing her jeans, her lower limbs holding tight to the monster's abdomen. "Cloud! Do something!" she cried. It tried to swipe at her arms and face next, having trouble reaching its back but scratching her forearms here and there.

The vampire rolled over and stood up, cutting into his palm with a talon. He grabbed one of the beast's horns, then forced his hand into its mouth as it roared and right down its throat. He squeezed his fist, getting a steady flow of ichor to drip out of the cut. It bit down with its toothed beak, then shook its head and gagged out Cloud's shredded, drool covered arm from its mouth before swiping at the vampire's chest. He sidestepped the beast. "Tifa, let go!"

Tifa kicked herself off of the monster's back, making it stumble forward before making a quick recovery and turning about to face the duo in a rage, roaring and charging the woman as she stood from her crouch. Cloud smashed into its side but not without injury from the prehensile tail whipping about, hitting his cheek.

Tifa dodged out of the way of the two. "Are you sure it swallowed?!"

"Yes!"

After a minute more of the gargoyle attempting to maul or disembowel its opponents it shook its head and growled in confusion. It retreated backwards towards the outer walls of its former den, holding its abdomen, then groaning. Tifa limped over to Cloud, who looked at her with a concerned gaze. He took out a materia and crouched down at her legs, healing the gashes that marred them, then the minor cuts on her arms. Hopefully they wouldn't leave scars, he thought to himself. "Sorry. I should've done this alone."

She shook her head. "And have you come home beaten to a pulp?" Tifa received a shy smile in return.

Cloud felt it after a moment, the gargoyle trying to resist his influence, but it would be for nothing. It was his now, and short of forcing holy water down its throat it had no chance of freedom from him. Cloud couldn't help but smirk. "It's mine now," he said as he put his materia away.

The gargoyle glowered at its new master, standing up and flicking its tail. Cloud could feel its anger, the mental communication demanding explanation for this violation of its body. **"Why?"** it demanded out loud in a deep, grumbling voice, reminiscent of the echo of a cave.

"I needed a house guardian," Cloud stated. The glower didn't let up.

**"Bastard."**

Cloud shrugged. "So I am." He looked at Tifa, then back at the gargoyle. "You will listen to her commands and protect her with your life, just as you will with me." Tifa stayed silent in the darkness, unsure what to say. The gargoyle grumbled, then nodded with reluctance.

Cloud began to walk towards the river, then looked back at Tifa. "Gotta clean up my arm..." It was still covered in drool and his own black blood.

The three made their way back to the truck afterwards, the gargoyle in a terribly sour mood by Cloud's reckoning. His book said they could be crabby, but under the circumstances he felt he picked a particularly ferocious one that he could count on to protect the house and Tifa while he slept. _'Never again.'_

"Alright. You get to hide in the back of the truck," Cloud said as he pointed at the vehicle. The gargoyle let out a grumbling sigh before shifting its body onto the bed and laying down, wings covering its body. A moment later and a tarp was tied over it, and the two made their way into the front cabin. Tifa turned the engine after insisting she could still drive, and they were soon off towards Junon again.

Cloud put his new hoody on, then placed an arm on the outside of the open window. "How are your legs?"

She shrugged. "Still stinging, but you healed most of it." Tifa used a free hand to pick at her torn jeans a moment, thinking about what led to Cloud's decision to find another servant. "I had almost forgotten there were vampire hunters in Junon."

"Yeah," he replied as glanced at her before returning his gaze to the window. _'She's in danger because of me.'_

She looked over quickly and gave his shoulder a pat. "We'll get through this, Cloud." He looked back at her, a brow raised, and she looked back again at his incredulous stare. "What?"

He smirked under his hood. "It's just funny. A few weeks ago you were intent on killing me, now we're essentially partners in 'crime'." His phone chimed, and he dug it out of his pocket.

Tifa chuckled humorlessly as she looked back at the road. "We always have been partners in crime. Remember some of the trouble we used to get into?" She sighed. "I guess the trouble just grew up with us."

Cloud shrugged as he sent a message. "You probably would have been better off if I never sent those letters after I died."

She frowned. "How so?"

"You wouldn't be in so much danger because of them...or because of me."

"But I have you again." Tifa shook her head. "I missed you in Nibelheim. It wasn't the same at all."

Cloud certainly felt the same way. Zack had been a pillar for him as he coped with being a vampire, but without her next to him everything felt empty. "I missed you a lot, too."

Tifa smiled at the response. They were quiet for a while, then Cloud spoke up again. "Tifa, what are you gonna do now? I mean, since you aren't a vampire hunter anymore..." He frowned at his phone. _'Hm...?'_

She raised a brow. "With my life, you mean?" Cloud looked back a moment to nod, and she laughed. "Well, I think it's too late for an average, everyday life, now."

"Really?"

Tifa laughed again. "My best friend is a vampire that I spent the last four years searching for, I'm practically exiled from Midgar for the time being, and I have a load of really bad memories from my former profession. Whatever normal is for me, it's going to be different than normal for most people." Her brows raised up as she added more. "And I don't regret it."

"At all?" he pressed.

"What else awaited me, living in Nibelheim? Become a housewife to the most tolerable of young men who didn't leave the village?" She shook her head. "You were gone..." Tifa whispered to herself.

He chewed on his lip while sending a response to Zack's need of a favor. "I guess so," he replied. "I mean, I was gonna come back...Ah, Teef..." He bit his tongue, he hadn't called her that in years. "Um..." He typed some more, his fingers quick and forceful.

"What's wrong?"

"Something happened in Midgar...so..." Cloud finished his last message, then put his phone away before rubbing his forehead.

"So...what?" Tifa waited for an answer.

"So, Aerith and Rox are staying with us, starting tonight." Cloud gave a dorky, disarming smile.

"What? Aerith and R-Rox?" She looked at Cloud disbelievingly until he nodded. "I mean...what happened?"

"Dunno. Zack said he'll fill us in later."

Tifa scrunched her brows together, her mouth open in a silent gasp. "Zack is coming too!?"

"Ah, yeah." Cloud gave her a sheepish smile.

"Okay, who else is coming or do I have to keep prying every name out of you?" she asked, a little sharper than she meant to be.

"Sorry. Just the three of them."

"No, no... I mean...wow." She sucked in a breath and tapped the driving wheel. "I'll be happy to see them but, it's a little sudden."

Cloud laughed. "Understatement of the night."

Tifa glanced at Cloud before returning her eyes to the road. "How are we gonna house them all? We only have two beds."

Cloud shrugged. "Zack can sleep on the floor," he joked.

She snorted, smiling, and looked back at him again. "An adult slumber party. Of sorts."

They made it back into Junon half an hour later, navigating the main road until they reached the street their home was on. The air thickened with mist, as there was no need to risk further exposure in case anyone decided to pry. Cloud took the tarp off and allowed the gargoyle a few moments to stretch before ordering it inside. Tifa parked the truck, then entered the house after Cloud.

The gargoyle was glowering in their direction as they entered and Squeak was sitting on top of the couch with what looked like a grin. Tifa's attention snapped to it, and she looked it over in the lamp light. "Blue skin..."

"Yeah."

The creature was slightly shorter than Cloud as it hunched, but the wings had given it the appearance in the dark of being larger than it was. Its height could fool intruders; the gargoyle was tenacious and ill tempered to boot. Claws, hunched back, and spindly yet powerful legs, and a maw with sharp pointed teeth and a head with short, sharp horns. Much more intimidating than a rat. "Did you think of a name yet?"

Cloud coughed. "How does Scratch sound?"

"After he scratched up my legs, pretty fitting," Tifa replied flatly. She looked into the gargoyle's red eyes. "What do you think?"

**"Don't care."**

"Scratch it is, then." Cloud looked at Squeak as the rat studied his new 'friend', then rubbed his furry little back before looking towards Tifa. "Do we have enough blankets and pillows for everyone?" He rolled his eyes immediately after saying it; of course they didn't.

Tifa shrugged as she finished her examination of the new servant. "That one store should still be open this late at night. I need to buy more food, anyway." She looked back at Scratch. "What do you like to eat, Scratch?"

**"Meat,"** he said in a growling tone meant to intimidate. Tifa was unfazed.

She nodded. "I'll buy you some." Tifa took Cloud's hand, and he swallowed. "Let's get supplies before they show up!" She walked towards the door with her friend in tow, making a mental list of things to pick up. Tifa glanced at Cloud as they left the house, and those blue eyes of his revealed a hidden well of nervousness she chalked up to the emergency involving the two women and Zack. She flashed a reassuring smile at him, and he gently returned the gesture.

* * *

The three waited by the train station, Zack having sent a message that they were here and receiving a reply back that Cloud was on his way. Rox still seemed a little on edge, and the vampire couldn't quite blame her. Aerith seemed a little calmer, but her grip on Zack's hand was strong.

"You're safe, Aerith. Don't worry."

She looked up at him. "I know. It's just..."

Zack nodded. "It's a lot to take in." He gave her hand a soft squeeze and rubbed it with his thumb.

Soon a truck came into view and slowed down in front of them. A man wearing a hood with blue eyes that seemed terribly familiar to Rox poked his head out of the window after it came to a stop. She assumed this was Cloud.

"How was your trip?" he asked quietly.

Rox froze, and the vampire noticed. He smirked and opened the door of the truck, then hopped out and slowly walked up to her. "Hm, don't I know you from somewhere?" he asked innocently.

"You...You're..." She held onto Aerith's arm tightly, the flower girl giving her a quizzical look before turning her head back to frown at the spiky haired vampire. Was he going to turn her into a servant? He would have to know she didn't call it quits after their meeting.

Cloud nodded. "It's been a while, Rox." Listening to him say her name sent a chill down her spine. "I guess trouble has a way of finding you, doesn't it?" He looked at Aerith. "It's nice to see you again, Aerith."

She nodded a greeting. "I would have rather it been under better circumstances..."

"Me too," he sighed out.

Aerith studied him in the dim light afforded them by street lights. "Zack said you're like him..."

He looked down and away. "Yeah. I hope that's okay." Cloud turned back to enter the truck, then settled back into his seat. "Tifa's waiting."

"I guess we better move out, huh?" Zack said as he guided the women to the back of the truck. Rox let out an uncomfortable groan, disliking the thought of being near Cloud after he had almost killed her weeks ago. She never forgot his promise, and wondered if he would try and collect later.

Aerith looked around as she sat down with the other two, then the truck accelerated off again. "So this is Junon..." She decided to push away everything that happened for now and soak in the new locale.

"Never been?"

Aerith shook her head. She looked over at Rox, who quickly shook her head. "Me either," she mumbled.

"Maybe you two can keep your minds off things at the beach while you're here," he replied. "I hear it's really nice during the summer."

The ride through Junon was mostly silent, the two women looking this way and that at the city they would call home until it was safe to return to Midgar. The truck turned, and they were soon on a dark street and then another. The vehicle came to a stop near the end of the road, and the three left the back as Cloud shut off the engine. The door to the house they were in front of opened, and the two women were ushered inside by Zack.

Rox and Aerith looked about the living room they stood in; it was sparsely furnished with a couch, coffee table and table stands with lamps, and a bookshelf holding a few books in a corner near the fireplace. The windows were cloaked by thick dark green curtains, and the rug on the wooden floor was an off color white, the walls eggshell.

"Aerith, Rox!" Tifa was in the entrance way of the kitchen. She ran up to them both, hugging them tightly. Aerith returned the gesture with just as much enthusiasm, but Rox was still unsure. Tifa looked down at her and gave her a sad smile. "I'm glad you're alright, Rox. I was worried about you."

The teen stared at her, whatever she wanted to say stuck in her throat.

"I think we both have a lot of questions," Aerith said as she tapped her fingers on her arms. "It's been a long, strange night."

Tifa nodded. "We can talk during dinner...Cloud, can you help me in the kitchen?"

Eventually Tifa and Cloud had the kitchen table set up for their guests, Cloud insisting he could stand and eat from his bowl with the lack of chairs. He leaned on the wall near Tifa, eating his stew in silence as the others settled into their meal.

"It's safe to talk here, so I'm going to tell you everything, like I said I wanted to, Aerith. Just keep in mind that neither of us were ever gonna hurt you," Zack began. He ate another spoonful and collected his thoughts.

"You're part of a mob, aren't you?" Aerith inquired with a raised brow.

He shook his head. "Assassin's guild."

"You kill people for a living?" she whispered.

"It's not my occupation of choice, ya know. It's necessity."

Aerith looked at Cloud. "You, too?" He nodded then looked into his bowl. "It's because you're vampires, isn't it?" She frowned, thoughtful.

Zack nodded quickly. "We aren't doing it for fun. Anyway, those people that kidnapped you-"

"Aerith was kidnapped?" Tifa interrupted. "Who did it?"

"Your former church," he said. Tifa put a hand to her mouth. "Well, they struck a deal with one of the Midgar mobs. The mob has a mole in our guild, and they find any vampires that work with our guild, then the vampire hunters take care of them. That's how they found Cloud." Zack motioned towards his friend. "They wanna have a stake in the assassination business, it seems."

Cloud's brows knitted together. "They're trying to weaken the guild?"

"Hostile takeover. There's some associates that are turncoats already."

"Damn."

Tifa swirled her stew. "I never would've thought...They aren't supposed to act like that. Why did they kidnap Aerith...?"

"It's my fault," Rox whispered. She hadn't touched her food, only continued to stare into it. "I wanted to protect her from Zack, so I brought her over...I gave her a talisman, and she was gonna speak to Master Tristitia, but they took her away to bait Zack." Rox took a deep breath. "When I found out, I ran after Master Wylu...and I woke up in a dark room, bound and gagged next to Aerith."

Tifa put her hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "You didn't know they were going to do that. I never would have thought it, either." In her years in the guild they had never kidnapped someone for use as bait. Certainly there was a shift in the last few months, something she couldn't quite put her finger on, and it seems it accumulated into this, she mused in her head.

"That's why you and Rox are here, Aerith. Because you inadvertently got involved and I didn't want that at all...But now you are, so I brought you here," Zack concluded.

"Your guild is gonna kill everyone at the church, aren't they?" Rox lifted her eyes, looking at Zack.

He gave her a sad look. "It really depends how things pan out. The mob is gonna be our primary goal, but if that church continues to bother our associates then more vampire hunters are going to die."

Aerith put her spoon down. "Everything sounds so terrible. So much death..." How many of her flowers went to people mourning victims of these machinations? How many because of Zack and Cloud's hands?

Zack nodded and looked down at his empty bowl.

* * *

After dinner was finished the five went to the bedrooms to discuss living arrangements for the night. Rox looked about, jittery with trepidation, while Aerith was lost in thought. Even Zack seemed subdued, despite attempts to hide it. Tifa opened the door to her room and let the two young women in, Cloud and Zack separating from them and heading upstairs to the third floor.

"Here's my room. It should be big enough to hold us three, if we don't roll around too much..." She scratched her head, trying to picture the three on the bed and if it would work. Rox was slim enough to fit between she and Aerith was her conclusion.

Rox recoiled as she stared at Squeak, the big fat rat napping on the middle of the bed. "Ugh, you sleep with rats now, Tifa?" Something felt horribly wrong about all of this to her. When would Tifa ever let plague-ridden rodents anywhere near her?

Tifa went up to the bed as the rat woke up and looked their way, and she picked him up. "This is Squeak, Cloud's servant. He's not just another rat." She looked towards Aerith, who sported a mildly confused look. "A servant does what a vampire tells it to do. Cloud treats him more like a roommate and a pet...I guess I do, too." She stroked under his chin, and he let out a coo. Tifa offered Squeak to her friend, stretching her arms out towards her.

Aerith cocked her head, then gingerly stroked his head. "If he does what Cloud wants him to do, I suppose he must be pretty smart." The rat's lips curled up into a smug grin.

"I'm pretty sure he's close to human intelligence, I just can't understand him."

Rox snapped her attention from Squeak to Tifa. "Y-you can't?"

Tifa shook her head. "Nope. Sometimes I can get the jist of what he's trying to communicate, but it boils down to yes or no questions." She noticed Rox was still searching her for the answer to an unspoken question. "I'm not Cloud's servant if you haven't noticed, Rox."

"Right...right..." Just those words didn't make it so, of course. But she was inclined to believe for now. Rox walked up to the bed, and sat on the edge. She stared at the floor near the wall facing her, still trying to process her situation. Tifa was with a vampire, and Rox was stuck in said vampire's home. The same vampire that very nearly killed her, but didn't. Rox blamed herself for the predicament she and Aerith were in, but she blamed her church, too. Her eyes momentarily met Tifa's before falling back to the floor again. But what about her? Rox bit her lip and continued to think.

Tifa looked down at Squeak and then suddenly remembered something important. She looked at Aerith, then Rox as she spoke. "There's one other servant, his name is Scratch, and he's a gargoyle. We had him in the basement while you two were downstairs, but he's probably in the living room now, guarding the front door."

"I'm so not leaving the bedroom," Rox mumbled.

"He's not going to bother you. Scratch is crabby, but he's under orders to not harm either of you," Tifa assured them. Rox seemed nervous still. Aerith nodded, not particularly concerned if the gargoyle was under Cloud's control.

Aerith looked about the room, appreciating the small distraction from her thoughts. "So, are we bunking in the same bed the whole time we're here?"

Tifa let out a tense chuckle. "No, just until we can buy some beds. There's a few unused rooms on both floors...I guess this'll be our floor."

"Hm. Did you plan on staying in Junon, Tifa?"

"I don't know. I guess where ever Cloud ends up, I'll probably be there too." Tifa looked to the side and down at the carpet while rubbing Squeak's cheek. "I guess that sounds silly, but...seven years apart was long enough."

Aerith leaned in. "You must really care about him." Tifa didn't answer. "Despite the fact he's not technically alive anymore, despite the fact he kills people to drink their blood?" Her voice dripped with curiosity. How did Tifa see it?

Tifa looked up at Aerith, her face a sad frown. "He didn't ask to become this. It makes me uncomfortable that he has to kill, but...what else can he do?" she said helplessly. "I'm not gonna abandon him when he needs me. He certainly didn't abandon me when I needed him."

Aerith pursed her lips before nodding. "It's just too much to think about...I'm still trying to process everything. I don't think Cloud or Zack are bad people at all, it's just...so much."

"It's a lot to take in...You should probably sleep on it." Tifa put Squeak down. "We bought some things for you two to hold you over until this afternoon. We can buy some clothing and more supplies then." She motioned for the two to follow her, taking them into the bathroom.

* * *

Cloud lounged on his bed with the goofiest smile planted on his face; as Tifa focused on their guests, she had forgotten that Squeak also worked as a gossip box. _'She'll go where ever I go. And she was blushing at Aerith's question. Ah, I still want to hear it!'_

"Hey Spike, what's got you in such a good mood?" Zack said with a frown as he left the bathroom; he was wearing some of Cloud's night clothing, which were a little short and thin on him. His mood had been dampened by Aerith's increasingly distant demeanor throughout the evening. It had been a rough night for them both.

Cloud moved his head to the side, trying to hide his face. "Nothin'. Just listening to Squeak."

"Tifa speak of her undying love for you to the girls?"

"No! She just said she'd follow me where ever, and she wouldn't abandon me when I need her." He heard Zack snicker, and he moved his head to frown his way.

Zack put his hands on his hips. "Will you just ask her out already? A woman isn't gonna put up with a guy draggin' his feet like you do, Spike."

Cloud narrowed his eyes, then an evil smirk crossed his face. "Looks like Aerith's talking now."

Zack's eyes widened and he hopped onto the bed, jostling Cloud as the mattress bounced from the impact. The blond let out a grunt. "What's Aerith saying? Anything?"

Cloud hummed a denial as Zack sat on his knees next to him. "Can't really say." Immediately after he felt two hands on his shoulders, shaking him hard.

"C'mon, man! I'd tell you!"

"Why don't you stop draggin' your feet and ask her yourself?" Cloud jabbed as he bounced on his bed from Zack's shaking. He pushed his friend off of him and a moment later felt a pillow smash into the side of his head, messing up his soft spikes.

Zack readied another blow. "Tell me!"

Cloud lunged at his friend and they toppled off of the bed and onto the floor with a loud thud, the two wrestling on the floor. Zack smashed Cloud into the wall and got a hard, playful punch on the chest in return; Zack rolled out from under him as Cloud prepared another attack, then grabbed the pillow on the ground and smacked Cloud in the head again.

Before Cloud could recover Zack had him in a headlock, then ferociously noogied his head. "Tell me what she said, Spike!" His grimace turned into a grin as he got the upper hand on his friend.

Cloud tried and failed to pry Zack's arm from his neck. "No way!" he choked out between clenched teeth. His lips twisted upwards into a defiant smile.

"What are you two doing?"

They both froze and looked up to Tifa and Aerith staring at them from the open door. "Uh, just horsing around." Zack flashed a nervous grin, fist still on top of Cloud's head. The blond's eyes were wide and chin angled up from Zack's forearm.

"It sounded like you two were having an argument." Aerith moved her gaze to Cloud, a brow raised and her lips twitching.

Cloud's eyes darted between Aerith's and Tifa's. If Tifa found out he had been spying on them, he was absolutely certain he would be getting a lecture. "No, we just haven't wrestled in a while..." he said sheepishly as he pulled away from his friend's arm, his hair a fluffy mess. "Really."

"Hm."

"Really," he repeated with a hardly confident smile.

Tifa narrowed her eyes. "If you say so, Cloud..." She heard him huff out a quiet sigh as she turned around to leave. "I'm keeping Squeak out of my bedroom tonight, just so you know," Tifa said offhandedly, and Cloud knew what it meant: he was most assuredly getting a lecture when they were alone.

"Uh, okay." His face was completely red at this point, and he lowered his head, not wanting to make eye contact with either. "Good night, you two."

Zack waved. "Night!"

Aerith gave a small wave before leaving, then Tifa looked back with a glare. "Night." She closed the door with a little more force than was needed. Cloud let out a groan and grabbed at his hair, mortified.

Zack gave his back a playful slap. "Shoulda told me."

Cloud glared at his friend, but couldn't keep up the act. "She said it was a lot to take in right now," he mumbled.

Zack nodded and stood up, reaching his hand out towards Cloud to help him up. "I guess I was hoping to hear something more than that..."

"Right now? Her boyfriend is an assassin that drinks blood. What else would she have to say?" Cloud rolled onto his bed, hands under his head.

Zack moved to the other side of the bed after tossing the pillow back where it belonged, playing with his fingers as he sat on the bed. "I guess some girl talk. Or something." He rubbed under his nose. "Maybe Tifa would say something encouraging to her."

Cloud shrugged. "Like what? We aren't romantically involved, so it's not like she could speak from experience..."

"Yet. You waffled. Are you scared she'll say yes?"

"I'm not waffling, we were attacked by some hunters before I could get it out. And I'm scared of the future."

"Oh." Zack moved his head to look at Cloud. "I know you're scared. But c'mon man, if she's gonna stick by your side like this...it's pretty obvious she's made her choice."

Cloud fidgeted. "I know. I just...Some day, she won't be there anymore," he said quietly. "It tears at me every time I think about it."

Zack nodded in silence. He had several friends that had either died or were close to dying from old age. It stung to see people who were so vibrant and alive slowly age away as the decades went by, but he still searched for friends regardless of the pain. "It hurts, I told you that. But being a part of their lives means something to them, too." He scratched his ear. "One of my oldest friends is a few years younger than I am, and his eyes light up when I visit him. I know I'm gonna miss him when he finally kicks the bucket, but I have a lot of fond memories and he does too. I think it was worth it in the end."

Cloud chewed on his lip. "But this is a bit different...There has to be some way besides turning them to keep them around if it gets that serious, right?" He really wasn't sure what could be done, and he wasn't about to do such a thing to Tifa.

"I dunno. Never really researched it."

"I guess there's plenty of time to find out before it gets to a certain point...if it ever does."

Zack nodded. "You think way too far ahead, Spike."

Cloud rolled his eyes. "It's better to know ahead of time." He turned off his lamp and rested his hands on his abdomen as he stared at the ceiling. "What makes you chase after romance, Zack?"

Zack plopped his head onto the pillow. "We're still very human after it's all said and done, Spike. I guess I couldn't ignore it forever..." He remembered having short trysts in the past, but nothing that felt particularly serious. He had been reluctant to go too far into relationships until recently, his viewpoint changing over the decades. He missed loving and feeling loved back, and Zack admitted to himself he couldn't hold that dam of emotions up forever.

He just hoped Aerith would accept him for who he was, even if it was an extremely dark and disturbing side no one would have thought he had at first glance.

Cloud nodded. "Yeah." He closed his eyes and rubbed his bracelet, thinking. "I guess I should've said something after the attack."

"Waiting for a special moment?"

"I did, it was just interrupted."

"Just say it to her, Cloud." Zack chuckled. "Not now though. Maybe after she..um..cools off."

Cloud groaned. "Right." He glanced at his clock, it was getting close to sunrise. "Thanks for the pillow talk."

"Any time, sweetie." Zack said in a sickeningly sweet tone, and Cloud punched his arm in response while smiling. Zack laughed quietly, then lay on his side. "Night, man."

"G'night."

* * *

Rox laid between Aerith and Tifa, the former dead asleep from exhaustion after her long day. Rox couldn't fall asleep, glancing at Tifa's back and occasionally at the window as a soft light filtered through the blinds from a lone street lamp. She hadn't confronted her friend yet; despite Zack's story it still just felt so alien.

"...Rox?" Tifa's voice whispered a groggy query. "Can't sleep?"

"No..."

Tifa shuffled in bed to face the despondent teen. She studied her in the dim light of the room, Rox's face a mess of emotions. "It's because of Cloud, isn't it?"

Rox shrugged her shoulder. "A little."

"He won't hurt you, Rox."

"It's still pretty freaky bein' in the same house as him. Do you know how scary that is? That guy is capable of being pretty damn scary," the teen whispered.

Tifa nodded. "I admit I was pretty scared when I met him again, even if he wasn't threatening me. I wouldn't let him know that at the time, of course." A wry smile formed on her face. "I woke up in his basement, tied up. Tried to escape, too..." Tifa looked down and touched her neck. "I thought I was a goner when he bit me."

Rox looked at her in horror. "He bit you?" Her whisper was sharp, and Aerith shuffled a little.

"Yeah. Every time I think about it I get a bit upset, even if he wasn't doing it for fun." she whispered back, frowning. "He took a lot of blood." Tifa made a face as she remembered the moment he pierced her skin with those fangs of his. "But he did take care of me afterwards...even when I wasn't very nice to him." Tifa looked away.

"He killed Master Regis and Huey."

"They almost killed me. I have a scar on my shoulder to show for it. They wouldn't even let me prove I wasn't a servant, Rox. Cloud barely woke up in time to stop Master Regis from cleaving my head open." Tifa let out a quiet sigh. "And it does hurt to think about it, Rox. It really does. I didn't want them to die, but I don't want Cloud to die, either. The situation is terrible..."

Rox sniffled. "Vampires took away my family. Now I'm stuck with one..."

"Life isn't as black-and-white as we were led to believe, Rox. Vampires like the one that killed your family shouldn't be given mercy."

"But how is Cloud and Zack any different?" Rox pressed. "Besides getting paid for something they'd willingly do."

"As much as I despise it...Cloud was right when he said those people will die regardless if he was there or not. He's just taking advantage of what's always been there, instead of picking someone off the street every week." She thought back to earlier in the week when he had done just that, in a bid to keep her safe from him. She wouldn't let him do that again if she could help it.

Rox nodded, resigned. Her eyes became teary, everything still too much for the young woman. Tifa put her arm around Rox and pressed her to her chest, and rubbed her back. It was something Tifa was used to doing, from a time when Rox was new to the guild and memories of her nightmarish time in her hometown were still fresh in her mind.

"You'll be okay, Rox. I'm here for you. We're all here for you..." Tifa whispered in her ear.

Rox didn't say anything back as she quietly cried herself to sleep in Tifa's embrace.


	13. Revelations for Some

Aerith rubbed her eyes as she woke from her sleep. Did last night really happen? She looked in front of her, Rox's back to her as Tifa held her. She supposed it wasn't a crazy dream, then. Aerith shuffled out of the bed as quietly as she could and took a look at the clock on the nightstand, it was a little past one in the afternoon.

She freshened up in the bathroom before making her way downstairs, her throat parched and stomach grumbling. Aerith supposed she could wait until Tifa woke up before helping her with breakfast...or would it be lunch? She wasn't quite sure. The living room was dark, though some faint light came from behind the curtains, allowing her to see just enough. Something large stood in a corner near the door, and she studied it before she went towards the kitchen. It moved, and her eyes widened. She backed away a few steps until she remembered what Tifa had said last night; that must be Scratch.

"Good morning," she mumbled at the monster before quickly ducking into the kitchen.

Aerith turned on the kitchen light before looking through the cabinets for a glass. Acquiring one she filled it with water from the tap, then entered the living room again; she turned on one of the lamps, then sat down and contemplated everything as she drank her water. She tapped a finger on the rim of the glass, trying to sort out her thoughts.

Zack was a vampire. A blood drinking, undead creature that stalks the night. She really didn't know that much about them, except they killed to survive and they couldn't see the sun. Aerith wondered if it was also true that they didn't like garlic, then remembered that Zack had eaten food she had made that contained it. Maybe not everything she knew about them was correct, it seemed. "Hm." Rox didn't like them. Tifa didn't seem to mind the two upstairs, but there was pity in her voice when she spoke to Rox last night.

Aerith could understand that. Why wouldn't you pity them? They were living humans once, with human emotions and desires that these two seemed to have kept. She hadn't known Zack and Cloud that long but they acted rather human, at least in front of her. What could vampires do? What did Zack do with those powers, besides...hunt? She tucked her feet close to her body. He somehow found her last night in that dilapidated building, so maybe he could magically track her? There were so many questions in her mind right now.

_'But he cared enough to look for me. Whatever he is he's still the Zack I know, I think.'_ Some doubt swirled in her head. Cloud bit Tifa when things didn't go his way. Aerith wasn't sure how Tifa could possibly be so close to him after what was a violation of her body. It wasn't willing at all. But there they were, shyly dancing around each other's feelings. Tifa had obviously cared that he had done that if her tone of voice could be used to judge the situation, but she still trusted and cared about Cloud.

She had to wonder if Zack would ever do the same to her, for whatever reason. That didn't sound like Zack, but then again that didn't sound like Cloud either. What if the relationship doesn't work out? He'd probably still want to keep in contact, she knew him well enough to know that much. But what kind of contact? Her mind wandered again to Cloud biting Tifa. What if it did work out? Would he make her like him, or would he do something else? What about his job? Tifa did say it was inevitable that those people would die, but still...So many flowers for the dead. It was unnerving to think about, especially how he killed. Aerith instinctively rubbed her throat.

She wondered how lonely that kind of life could be. Tifa said she would follow her friend, despite the possible risk to her safety. Aerith assumed she must care deeply for Cloud, even if he was a vampire. Aerith sighed, wondering if she could possibly adapt to this new, darker world, or if she would be allowed to leave it if she chose.

Her thoughts were broken a moment later by a loud squeak, and she snapped her head towards the staircase to see Rox stumbling on the steps as Tifa held her hand. Aerith's brow furrowed at the two, and Rox pointed a finger towards a corner of the room behind her. Aerith moved her head to see what was there, and now she had a better look at Scratch; a blue skinned demon that was staring right at her with blood red eyes. She had been warned, she had seen him in the dark, but it was still jarring.

"It's okay, it's just Scratch," Tifa said. "I told you he'd be down here, Rox."

Aerith looked back at the two. "Does he try to be creepy?"

Tifa grinned and nodded. "He's not as friendly as Squeak."

Rox stood back up, eyeing the gargoyle. "He just had to choose the freakiest monster he could find, didn't he?"

Tifa nodded, finishing their trip down the stairs. "After the incident in Midgar, he didn't want the house so defenseless."

Aerith sat up from the couch, waiting for Tifa to walk towards her. "Zack said something about vampires being unable to act during the day..." She still had to wonder if Cloud and Zack could hear Rox stumbling about and groaning loudly. Unable to act?

Tifa led the two into the kitchen and away from the leering servant. "Vampires are just pretty corpses during the day. You could go up there and bounce on the bed between them and they could do absolutely nothing. It's like they're in a coma or something."

"Oh. Can I try that?"

Tifa snorted and cracked a smile as she took out a pan and plates. "Try not to push them off, I don't know how they would feel if they woke up on the floor." Then again, they were spying on them through Squeak, she thought. "I'm sure they'd be fine if that happened, though."

Aerith giggled. "Maybe later."

Rox sat at the table, looking around for any more servants or surprises. She glared at the door to the basement, wondering what kind of nightmares it was hiding. Her thoughts were interrupted as Tifa placed a glass of orange juice on the table next to her.

"Are you sure he just has two servants?" Rox asked, still on edge.

"Yep."

The teen nodded before quietly taking her glass in hand and sipping from it. "So...what are we doing today?"

Tifa was working on greasing the pan on the stove top. "Well, I have to go to work before sunset, but when Cloud gets up he'll take you two to the furniture store before they close." She looked back and frowned at the face Rox was making. "You both need beds and clothing. We'll do some clothes shopping before I go to work, I have enough time."

"Why not the furniture shopping too?" Rox asked.

"I'm not stealing away Cloud's wallet, Rox..." Tifa turned back to the stove.

Aerith nodded, sitting at her seat. "We do need some things, but I didn't have my purse on me last night."

"Those two upstairs can figure it out, and I have enough in my purse to get you two a few outfits." Tifa cracked some eggs into the hot pan, then put some bread in the toaster. "I won't be here when they wake up, but my bedroom has a TV, and there's a few books in the living room if you want to read."

"What about Scratch?" Rox asked, looking in his direction. She didn't trust him one bit.

"He's doing his job," Tifa sighed out. "Scratch can't go against Cloud's commands. One of those commands was to not harm guests." She eventually finished cooking, then served her two friends. Tifa made a smaller plate of toast and cheese for Squeak as he entered the kitchen before joining Aerith and Rox to eat.

After they finished she let them look at the two rooms available as she went to shower and get changed. As Tifa shampooed her hair she thought about what to say to Cloud for eavesdropping last night. What was he expecting to hear from them? She wondered if perhaps it was for Zack's sake only; he had seemed afraid of Aerith's reaction to his admissions last night.

_'Those two are so insecure.'_ She supposed she couldn't totally blame them. Well, not Zack at least. What was Cloud hoping she, herself, would say to them? Was he elated by her admission she would follow where he went? Who else would help keep him out of trouble? Or get her into trouble, too... _'Dad always said he was a bad influence.'_

Tifa took the two to a clothing store a few blocks from the house, showing them markers that would help guide them home as they learned the lay of the land. She helped Rox find a few outfits she would like, the teen taking to the tank tops and shorts available. Tifa noticed that her friend seemed in a better mood as she shopped with her and Aerith, the flower girl appreciating a few casual dresses on a rack nearby.

They left after a good two hours of shopping, Tifa's friends carrying bags of clothing with them. She looked at the two behind her. "Do laundry whenever you want. I know basements are creepy, but nothing is waiting down there for you." Except a big, fat spider in the corner, she thought.

Rox grunted, a shiver going down her spine. She didn't want to go into a dark, dank basement that might also double as a dungeon. Aerith nodded back at Tifa, oblivious of the look on her friend's face as they made their way home.

The afternoon wore on for the three, Tifa eventually leaving for work, and Rox and Aerith were alone. They sat in Tifa's room, Aerith petting Squeak as Rox sat on the bed with a book, trying to get her mind off of everything. She glanced at the clock, it was seven and the vampires upstairs would wake up soon.

She was going to be stuck with Cloud. Every time she thought of him, Rox remembered the cold, mocking glare of his eyes before she ran off into the shadows and then the feel of her stolen blade at her throat before he inexplicably let her go. Rox knew she was safe, that Tifa trusted him, but she still didn't want to be so close to him. What if he turned her into a servant regardless? It wouldn't be like Tifa could find out here, away from a church. Rox glared at the door before returning her eyes to the book she barely read.

She would rather pal around with Zack if she had to choose. He seemed pretty nice as vampires went. Zack didn't threaten to turn her into a servant, or drink her blood. Maybe she wouldn't want to be alone in a room with him or anything like that, but still, she thought.

Rox and Aerith heard rustling upstairs, then after what felt like forever there were footsteps creaking down the stairs. There was a knock at the door, and Aerith walked up to the door, Squeak scampering at her side. She opened the door, and Zack and Cloud peeked through the opening. "Evening," they mumbled to the two women. They were already dressed, ready for whatever the night held.

"Evening," Aerith greeted. "Rest well?"

"Like the dead..." Cloud dead panned. To his surprise she giggled at his terrible joke. The two women followed the vampires downstairs, Zack glancing back at Aerith as she reached the bottom step. She studied him, her green eyes glimmering in the soft light of the lamp. He had a worried frown on his face before turning to Cloud, mumbling about having to leave soon to catch the train back to Midgar. Cloud gave Zack's shoulder a heavy pat, missing his friend already. "Message me when you get there."

Zack nodded. "I'll send Clara by in a couple of days, too."

Aerith came to his side and he awkwardly smiled at her, fear and hope warring in his gut. "You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye to me first, right?" she teased.

"No way!" He looked back at Cloud. "Keep her safe for me, Spike."

Cloud looked at the two women one at a time, then nodded at Zack. "I will. Stay in one piece, Zack."

Zack grinned at him and tapped Cloud's arm with his own before being tugged towards the door by Aerith. Before she could turn the knob it opened on its own, making her pause. She supposed she would get used to self opening doors sooner or later. Shrugging, Aerith walked out of the house, Zack close behind her. The door shut, and they were alone in the twilight. "So, uh...Aerith..."

"Hm?" She wasn't going to make this easy.

"I um, I'll make sure your flowers get watered. And um, when this all blows over I'll bring you home..." He felt like he was beginning to ramble.

Aerith chuckled as she walked a few paces away. Her hands were behind her back, and she rocked on her feet twice as she looked at the sky. "That's a tiny wish of mine, you bringing me home."

Zack cocked his head to the side. "A wish?"

She nodded. "I have twenty-three tiny wishes, actually." Aerith glanced at him behind her shoulder.

"Oh?" How the hell was he going to remember the other twenty-two?

Aerith's smile grew as she turned around and walked up close to him. "I know you probably won't remember them all, so I put them all together into one..." She brought her hands up and pressed the air between them a little, as if squeezing something invisible. "I'd like to spend more time with you."

His frown turned into a big, goofy smile, and he rubbed the back of his head. "You don't mind that I'm like this?"

Aerith put her hands down. "I mind, but...what can be done? I'd rather try to make our relationship work out. Hm. It wouldn't change a thing if I left, would it?" She was still full of uncertainty, but right now she felt Zack was worth the worry. Aerith knew she had to be strong for him and herself. After all, Tifa was strong for Cloud, and she had to know far more about vampires than she herself did. Despite that and whatever vampires could and would do, her friend trusted and cared deeply for one. And so, Aerith thought, she could too.

Zack brought her close, hugging her. His chin rested on her head. "I think I'd be as mopey as Cloud if you left me." He heard her giggle into his chest. They stood there for a few minutes, enjoying each other on the quiet street. "When this is all over, I'll work on those wishes."

Aerith moved her head to look up at him, still smiling. She stood on her toes and kissed him on the lips. Always warm...even if he wasn't alive. "I'll hold you up to it."

He kissed her back, the moment lingering. Parting again after a while he smiled at her. "Try and stay outta trouble, even if Cloud and Tifa are trouble magnets." He winked.

Aerith chuckled as she brought a hand up to Zack's cheek and rubbed it. "Do I have to babysit them?"

He leaned into her touch. "You might!"

They stayed together a little while longer before Zack had to depart. "I'll send you a letter, Aerith," he promised. "I'll be back as soon as I can." After another kiss he stared at her for a few moments before leaving, and Aerith watched in the deepening darkness as he disappeared. He turned back before reaching the corner, waved, and then after another moment he was gone.

The door behind her opened a few moments later, Cloud walking out after motioning to Rox to join him, the teen walking quickly past him and holding onto Aerith. He had a smirk on his face Aerith could barely make out in the alley, the streetlamps too far away to properly illuminate his face. "We better get to the furniture store before they close for the night."

Aerith looked back at the empty stretch of alley Zack had walked through. He would be back for her some day soon, she hoped. She would have to write a few letters to him if she could, she decided.

"I don't have any money," Rox groused, snapping Aerith out of her reverie. She didn't see the vampire caring how she slept.

Cloud shrugged as the three began their journey out into the city, his hoodie up and covering his hair. "Zack'll pay me back."

Tifa had said something about that earlier, but... "Is it alright?" Aerith asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. Unless you guys really like sleeping three to a bed like that?"

Aerith chuckled while Rox groaned. "No, women like their privacy, after all."

They made their way to the furniture store, looking over beds they might like after Cloud guided them towards the back of the store. Rox seemed hesitant while Aerith jovially picked out a bed similar to Tifa's, testing the mattress and flopping down on it. Cloud walked up behind Rox and looked over her shoulder as she stared at a bed she had looked at twice over. He was a foot away from her, giving her a little space. "Do you like this one?" he asked.

Rox flinched as she looked back, her fear palpable as she took a step back. "I...I guess so." She swallowed hard.

Cloud frowned. "You can get something nicer than that if you want. It looks closer to a cot."

She shrugged, looking back at it. "It's fine," Rox mumbled.

He shook his head before draping his arm across her shoulder and moving her towards a few beds with wooden frames. She seemed to be on the verge of panicking as he navigated her through the store, closer than she wanted to ever be to him again. "Tifa's gonna think I pushed you to get the crappiest bed they have. It's okay, get something nice."

Rox looked back with a frown as he let her go, his arms crossed over his chest. "Is that why you're pretendin' to be nice to me, 'cause Tifa'll get mad?"

Cloud rolled his eyes. "I'm not pretending anything. We aren't on different sides of a never ending war anymore, are we?" he asked quietly.

"You almost killed me," she whispered, rubbing her throat.

"Almost, but I decided not to." He came to her side and studied her. "I didn't know you were friends with Tifa at the time. But..." Cloud looked away. "you reminded me of her. She was about your age when she joined that guild. And you didn't seem to be much of a threat, anyway." He looked back with a smirk.

Rox looked away. "If I wasn't much of a danger, why'd you threaten me like that?"

"To scare you off, obviously." Cloud continued on, his smirk fading. "You didn't even take my warning to heart that night." He put a hand on the bedpost, rubbing the wood. "I still asked Zack to watch over you for Tifa's sake."

She looked back, still frowning. "So what, should I thank you for not killing me and for sending your friend out to babysit me?"

"A normal person would thank someone for keeping them safe, yeah." He was smirking again.

"Whatever." She huffed, her frown deepening as she looked him up and down. "Ugh...I'm gonna live in the same house as _you_." Rox looked down at the bed in front of her, and sat on the edge of it, bouncing a bit to test its springiness.

"You're welcome," he sighed out. He began pacing casually in front of her. "Did you find your bed yet?"

Rox bounced again. "I like this one."

"Good, now we can look for drawers. I'm sure Aerith found one already while you were draggin' your feet."

Rox tsked as she stood up, scrunching her face at him before walking towards Aerith, the woman looking over a few pieces of furniture not far from them. Cloud watched her go, slowly following and wondering how badly he spooked Rox that night. _'It's not like any of that matters anymore.'_

Eventually they decided what they wanted, and Cloud told the attendant when they would like the furniture delivered and to where. After paying they left, Rox hanging on Aerith's arm as they left the building. Cloud turned to them, and motioned with his head towards another street.

"Tifa and I tried this one pizza place out for lunch once. Wanna give it a go?"

Aerith nodded. "I could go for some comfort food. Rox?" She glanced at the teen.

The teen shrugged. "I'll follow your lead."

* * *

It was getting close to closing time, and then Tifa could enjoy the rest of her night after talking to Cloud about using Squeak as a little spy. She wasn't as upset as she was last night, but she didn't want to have to keep Squeak out of her room, or the others' as well. She didn't take Cloud to be a pervert, of course, but it was still a breach of privacy. _'Can he see through Squeak? The books were conflicted on that.'_

She let out a sigh as she wiped down the counter. Nothing too stern, she decided, just firm. Cloud would understand. _'Maybe he wasn't thinking about that when he did it. No, he was trying to listen to us, not watch us. Zack was probably afraid of Aerith's feelings and Cloud felt bad for him.'_ Tifa glanced at the clock, then went back to the kitchen to pick up an order.

When she returned to the front to serve the table that ordered the food she noticed Domino enter and walk towards the bar. After she returned to the counter Tifa smiled at him, and he returned it. It was a contrast to the last time they met, she noticed. "Evening, Domino. What can I get you tonight?"

"I'll have a beer, Alyssra," he said with a smile. She went to fill a mug, and noticed he glanced over at Cloud's usual seat, now empty. Tifa served him his drink and looked over the front of the bar again, a woman sitting in a booth in the far corner. Her hair was dark and her face was almost familiar.

_'Where have I seen her before?'_

Tifa walked over to take her order. The woman looked her up and down after she was greeted, studying her with a hard eye. "Just a turkey sandwich. Please." Her voice was clipped.

Tifa wrote it down and hurried back to the kitchen with the order. Returning she leaned on the counter near Domino. "How have you been?"

Domino shrugged. "I've been alright." He glanced at the empty seat again, then back at Tifa, her brows raised. "Lost a regular?"

She grinned. "I'm sure he was just busy tonight. Don't tell me you wanted to make friends?"

He seemed to stiffen a little bit before letting out a subdued chuckle. "No, he doesn't seem very friendly."

Tifa's smile grew as she pushed herself up from the counter. "He's nicer when you get to know him." She left for the finished order and served the woman, then made small talk with Domino until closing time.

"You know, you don't sound like a city girl. No offense, just saying you've got a different accent than someone from here or Midgar," Domino stated before sipping his second beer for the night.

Tifa smiled warmly at him. "You'd be right. I'm from a little mountain village on the western continent. I came here recently."

He nodded. "You seem to make friends quickly. Or at least attract regulars easily." Domino glanced at Cloud's empty seat.

She looked that way and back again, laughing a little. "Well, he's an old friend of mine. We just recently reconnected after a long time," Tifa divulged.

"Ah, I see."

"So what about you, Domino? Are you from here?" Tifa regarded him warmly, she was in a relaxed mood as the few customers left began to leave.

He shifted his eyes, almost as if he was unsure whether to say anything or not. "I've lived here all my life with my family."

"Any siblings? I don't have any. I always thought it would be nice to have a sister, but..." Tifa trailed off and looked down before looking back at Domino. The loss of her mother was still a sad, bitter memory.

"I...don't have any siblings, no," he said. Domino seemed uncomfortable, so Tifa changed the subject.

"How about work?"

"Oh, a do a little bit of everything, honestly."

After a few more minutes Domino paid for his drinks and waved a goodbye to the barmaid. Tifa raised a brow; as he left that woman seemed to follow him. Was she interested in him, but too shy to approach him at the bar? _'I'm sure Cloud would love that to happen...hm.'_

As soon as she was done cleaning up she left, sucking in a fresh drag of night air as she entered the quiet street. Tifa looked about, wondering where Cloud could possibly be hiding in the shadows. It was a quiet little game of hers, guessing where he hid. As she walked down the street she hummed a bit, her eyes looking towards the buildings and the shadows they created. "I wonder where Cloud is hiding..." she whispered. Was he a bat, was he a wolf? Maybe something else.

"Getting warmer," came a voice from the dark.

Tifa snorted and grinned. _'If Cloud thinks this is going to get him out of a talk, he is so wrong.'_ She continued on a few more paces.

"A little warmer..." The voice was always near, but not near enough.

She stomped a few more steps. "How about now?"

Two hands gripped her shoulders from behind. "Hot!"

Tifa turned around to Cloud grinning at her, and she felt her own lips spread apart to smile. She looked down after a few moments, then crossed her arms and raised a brow. She tried to straighten her face out into a serious mask.

Cloud scratched the back of his head, a cheesy smile on his face. "I'm still getting a lecture, aren't I?"

She huffed through her nose and looked to the side a moment, moving her shoulders as if debating something. Then, she looked into his eyes. "No more spying on us. I know Zack was worried about how Aerith felt..." Tifa gave him a knowing look, and Cloud swallowed heavily. "and I know you aren't a Peeping Tom...I hope," she teased.

"No, I am not." He stuttered at the indirect accusation. "I can't see through Squeak, anyway." _'I mean he could tell me things but-'_ He chewed on the inside of his cheek, looking and feeling awkward.

Tifa smiled at his reaction, she thought it was cute when he was put on the spot. "That's good to know. But I'd rather you just talk to us instead of spying from now on."

Cloud chuckled and put an arm around her shoulders, turning her around and walking her home. "Right. I'll keep it in mind, Teef."

Tifa's heart caught in her throat as his arm held her close to him, and she leaned her head back ever so slightly into him after a few moments. "Just something to consider."

He looked at the sky and then back at her; her head was resting between his shoulder and chest. "I'll have to be more considerate with three women ruling the roost."

Tifa laughed and shook her head, her hair rubbing against the fabric of his hoody. "We're an even three to three now, with Zack gone. Oh, did he and Aerith...?"

"Yeah." Cloud may or may not have listened at the door. "They're still together," he said quietly before looking straight ahead again. "I took Aerith and Rox out to eat, but I wasn't really in the mood at the time. D'you wanna grab a bite with me?"

"What did you have in mind?"

He shrugged the shoulder Tifa wasn't using. "You're the one that worked tonight. Whatever you choose." Cloud looked about with a frown. "Hm?"

"What is it?" she whispered, noticing the tension in his body. They still walked ahead, but they had slowed their stroll down.

Cloud strained to hear. There were footsteps, footsteps that were far too close to them, and they were coming from behind them. "I think someone's following us," he whispered back, leaning his head a little towards her. "Nothing I can't throw off, though." Cloud gave Tifa's shoulder a squeeze.

They kept walking, mist pooling at their feet and pushing past into the street behind them. Cloud heard the footsteps hurry towards them; instead of being deterred by the thickening sheets whoever it was pressed further. He focused more on that magic he was 'gifted' with that night five years ago, making the fog as thick and high as he could.

He moved his arm from Tifa's shoulder to her waist, making her jump. "Cloud?" she whispered. She couldn't see where they were going.

"Hold on to me."

She did as he asked, wrapping her arm around his shoulder and the other across his waist. He stopped just long enough to press Tifa to his chest and notice the blush creeping on her face before floating off to a building's ledge. The two watched from the darkness as the mist began to dissipate, revealing the stalker: Domino.

Tifa sighed and rubbed her forehead with her hand. "What does he think he's doing?"

"I don't know," Cloud growled, "but I'm getting tired of him." He hated his stupid face, his stupid laugh, his stupid flirting. Cloud flexed his fists. He was about to float down to the nearest alley and have a good round of fisticuffs when another person showed up, one he remembered. The one with the whip.

The vampire hunter. Cloud made his way towards a dark alley as Tifa whispered harshly for him to come back, and he listened to the two from the shadows.

"Kedime, this isn't a good idea..." Domino said as he strained to see anything hiding in the darkness. "We can zero in on them eventually. With a master."

"I'm almost a master," Kedime snapped. "This one has to pay for what it did to Nahki. Him and his servant."

"Didn't you say you two only fought the vampire?"

The woman shrugged. "She probably had something to do with it."

"Still a just a servant..." Domino argued. "Don't you usually try and save them?"

Kedime sighed. "Don't tell me you have a crush on her!" she deflected.

"So what if I did?" he asked defiantly.

Cloud narrowed his eyes. Maybe he hadn't asked Tifa out yet, but there was no way he was going to put up with such crappy competition, he decided. Without a care he blasted the two hunters off their feet, the woman knocked into a trash can she stood too close to. Kedime groaned out a breath as she lay on the curb, stunned from the surprise attack.

Cloud glowered at them, floating off the ground to make himself as intimidating as possible. His skin illusion faded away, adding to his malicious aura. He focused on Domino, his steely blue eyes glaring at him from under his hood. "You know, it's considered kinda creepy when you stalk a woman in the dark."

Domino bounced back up and puffed his chest out; whatever dread he had felt moments ago had melted into offense. "You're callin' me creepy, blood sucker?"

"Yeah." Cloud cracked his fists. "I don't take kindly to filth creepin' on my friend."

Domino raised his fists, his weapon still in a sheath to his side. "Bring it on, short stuff!"

Cloud scowled, his eyes narrowing as he floated to the ground. "I'm gonna make you _eat_ those words, _maggot_." he growled through clenched teeth before his fists came up as well. Domino charged him and the two began fist fighting, getting in a punch here and there. It was a man on man fight, two women staring in absolute disbelief as the two battled without weapons or talons.

Tifa watched from above and rolled her eyes, those two were hot headed enough to fight over stupid insults, she thought. A few times one or the other would land a punch to the face or arms, insults growled that shouldn't be gracing either of their lips. Tifa noticed the now recovered woman shake her head and remove something from her belt. Tifa figured it was probably holy water; she was as done with their antics as Tifa was.

"Cloud! Move!"

He looked up from his fight with Domino just in time to dodge something that broke against the pavement of the alley behind him. His opponent punched his jaw and Cloud ignored it, floating too far up for Domino to continue the fight.

"Ready for round two, you devilish creep?" Kedime said as she grabbed another vial from her belt.

The vampire retreated back into the shadows with a smirk. "Sorry, but I'm not in the mood for another two on one just yet." He decided he would be up for a rematch with his sword; what made Cloud an even more dangerous opponent than the usual vampire was that he had combat experience. With his weapon, he was certain it would take more than two to take him down. "Quit while you're ahead."

Domino hesitated while Kedime growled and shot off a Fira into the alleyway, lighting it up to nothing. Cloud watched from his perch next to Tifa as the woman hunter let loose several colorful insults towards vampires, a grin on his lips from flustering her so.

"You didn't have to do that!" Tifa hissed. He chuckled before picking her up and slowly floating off with her towards the rooftops.

"I guess not." He was still grinning.

She raised a brow. "You just enjoy making me worry, don't you?"

Cloud shook his head. "No, but they need to learn who they're messin' with."

Tifa scoffed. She knew he was just showing off. "They're messing with a villainous vampire that gets worked up over insults," she teased.

He looked down at her and scowled but couldn't stop from smiling. After another minute they were on the rooftop of their home. "Just teaching Domino a lesson." He sighed. "There goes your job."

She bit her lip. Tifa knew they would look around this part of town for them now, and the bar she worked at. Still, she had to get out of the house somehow. "I don't wanna be stuck in the house because of them."

Cloud frowned. "They could kidnap you, or try and attack you..."

"I know, but...during the day there's less chance of them following me or fighting. Usually the afternoon is for preparation and off duty stuff, unless they've found a vampire lair." She gave her friend a wry smile. "I'm sure you're familiar with that."

He bit his lip, chewing it a little as he thought about it. "If anything happens, text me and hide. I'll get you when I wake up. Is that alright?"

She nodded. They would both have some sort of peace of mind as they struggled for a modicum of freedom. Tifa almost felt jealous of Cloud's abilities, giving him far more freedom during the night than herself. They walked towards the hut housing the stairs. "So...How were Rox and Aerith?"

Cloud opened the door and led Tifa down the stairs. "Aerith said she was gonna go to bed before I left, and Rox might be sleeping with her too, I don't know. She's not very fond of me."

"You terrify her," Tifa stated with a shrug.

Cloud frowned. "I'm not doing anything to scare her. Just that once..."

They came to the third floor, and Cloud opened the door and let Tifa through. "She's sixteen and had her entire family slaughtered by a vampire, one by one. Now, she's living with the one that almost killed her, but for some reason, didn't." She stood facing Cloud, his face revealing that he was finally understanding the scope of the teen's terror. Tifa kept her face neutral and voice non-judgemental. "I know you won't harm her, Cloud. But, Rox doesn't know that. Just like I didn't know you wouldn't harm me when you had me spirited away. Well, besides the bite, that is." Tifa's face slipped almost into an uncomfortable frown before returning back to neutrality.

Cloud caught it, and it felt like a dagger in his heart. Without thinking he wrapped his hand around the back of her head and brought her to his chest, making Tifa blush furiously as his other hand wrapped around her back. "I'm sorry, Tifa." His voice was quiet and forlorn. "I didn't know what else to do that night."

Tifa peeked upwards towards Cloud's face, his spikes tickling her nose and cheeks. "Cloud, it's alright...I understand why you did it." He looked back at her with searching eyes, and she flashed a warm smile as she returned his hug. "You took care of me, right?"

"As if I wouldn't after that."

She laughed. "What I was trying to say was, is that it'll take time for Rox to not be so skittish around you." Tifa parted from her friend, then motioned downstairs. "I'm going to freshen up a bit. I guess that those two out there might be looking for us still, so maybe I'll cook something here."

Cloud shook his head and opened the door to the staircase again. "You've been on your feet all afternoon and evening," he said. "I'll go out and get some takeout."

Tifa raised a brow and gently swung her hips, teasing him. "As long as you promise not to get into another fight out there."

He playfully rolled his eyes. "I promise, Teef."

As Tifa went downstairs to her bathroom Cloud went off in search of something he could bring back at that hour. The nearest shop was a little Wutaian takeaway place he had passed by before. Cloud looked around before leaving the shadows and entering the shop, ordering what he think Tifa might like.

He patiently waited at his seat, looking over his text messages. Zack was back in Midgar, safe and sound and rearing for another slumber party. Again he asked if Cloud had told Tifa his feelings, and Cloud promised, promised he would do it tomorrow night, just as much for Zack as for himself. He was loathe to break a promise.

Cloud wanted to do something a little romantic or at least timed right, but the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to say to her. About why he went to Midgar, his feelings towards her, how he understood if she would reject him. He wasn't very sure if she would or not. She was a steadfast, loyal friend, but those weren't romantic feelings. She felt love, but was it that kind of love?

Putting his phone away he glanced at the little freezer next to him, trying to get his mind off of the subject. He stood up and examined the contents sealed away behind glass. There were various frozen treats from Wutai; mocchi ice cream, matcha flavored desserts, something made of red beans. He took a few packages out and paid for them when his order was ready.

When he got home he placed the takeout on the kitchen table and the treats in the freezer. Cloud handed an eggroll to Squeak, who merrily ran off with the greasy treat, prepared for a food coma. Tifa cocked her head at the little food boxes. "Wutaian, huh?"

Cloud looked back at her. "Not your thing?"

She smiled before sitting down. "I like it, it's just been a while. What did you order?"

He sat next to her and poked at the takeout boxes. "Spicy noodles, Tirachka chicken with vegetables, Song shrimp..."

Tifa opened up the Tirachka chicken. "I liked this!"

Cloud had a smug smile on his face. _'Another thing to keep in mind.'_

They divided their food, Tifa taking most of the chicken and Cloud most of the noodles. The shrimp were divided evenly between them. They ate in silence for a while, occasionally glancing up at the other. Tifa broke the silence first, after she swallowed a mouthful of chicken.

"You have several vampire hunters after you. Are we going to have to skip town again?"

Cloud shook his head. "If they don't stop I'm reporting it to the guild." He slurped up some noodles, then noticed Tifa's furrowed brow. He added more after he was finished with his mouthful of noodles. "See, the guild doesn't care about vampire hunters at all, really. If they stay away from associates that happen to be vampires. But as soon as they start targeting an associate and it's reported, we care about those vampire hunters. A lot."

"So, they'd be like me..." she mumbled.

He sighed. "I'm reluctant to do it because it'd feel a little hypocritical, yeah. But our safety comes before my feelings. I don't want to see that again, Tifa." The thought that he was almost too late to save her made him frown into his noodles.

Tifa nodded and returned to her meal. She didn't really think Domino deserved death, maybe not the other woman, either. "What was that woman's name? I couldn't hear."

"Um, Kedime."

"Hm. Hopefully they give up eventually. There's easier vampires to track down, I'm sure," Tifa said before finishing her meal.

They went upstairs and Tifa tsked as she peeked into her room; Rox was splayed out over the rest of Tifa's bed and Aerith was curled up on the edge of the bed. "Maybe I'll sleep on the couch tonight."

"You can use my bed, Tifa. That is, if you're okay with it," Cloud added quickly.

She turned to him and flashed a half smile. "It's not like we haven't shared your bed once already," Tifa replied. She quietly went into her room for a book she had bought a few days ago, taking a peek at Rox and Aerith in the light coming from the crack of the door. Aerith looked peaceful while Rox's brow wrinkled together before she let out a little snore.

Tifa came up to Cloud's room after freshening up, her friend looking her way before returning to a book he held in his hands, leaning against the bed board and a pillow. He was already dressed in his night clothing, his skin almost the same color as his white shirt if not for the ashy tinge. It was a little strange to see considering his liberal use of his skin illusion in recent weeks while out and about.

She walked up to and made herself comfortable on the empty side of the bed and cracked open her own book. They were quiet for a very long time, reading, and she gradually sensed some sort of tension between them. It wasn't the tension of an argument brewing, but still there were words left unsaid. _'He said it could wait. How long do I have to wait? What did he want to say? I think I know what it is, but...I don't want to assume.'_

"Do you have any plans with the girls today?" Cloud mumbled as he looked into his book. She almost jumped at his voice after such a long period of silence.

Tifa shrugged to herself. "I'll ask them." She let out a yawn and glanced at the clock. She had lost track of time, it was getting close to five. "I better get some sleep if I plan on doing anything during the day with them." Tifa placed her book on the end table and shuffled under the covers before turning off her lamp. She curled up and faced Cloud. "Night, Cloud."

"Night, Teef."

Tifa closed her eyes and Cloud glanced down at her ever so often as her breathing became deep and steady. Eventually he placed his book down and turned off his lamp, then joined Tifa under the blankets. He usually slept on top of the blankets since there was no need to keep warm, but her body was warm if still a foot away from him; it called to him somehow, that heat that seeped out of her sleeping body. He stayed on his back with a hand over his chest, looking at the ceiling and thinking about how far the two had come since that fateful night he stalked her about Midgar before spiriting her away.

He moved a little closer to Tifa, appreciating her presence next to him as long as he could, his consciousness fading with the rising sun.


	14. Words Aren't the Only Way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emerial always betaing my crap. Well, who knows when the next chapter will be out, but hey everyone wanted this chapter.

_Tifa kept reading the letter, over and over and over again. It was in his handwriting, but he was dead. The Midgar military had called before they sent the box with his meager possessions to Ms. Strife with a letter explaining his demise and how he died with honors despite being a mere cadet, weeks before the physical test that would have made him one of their warriors if he had passed. That was over a month ago._

_But here was a letter addressed to her, from Cloud._

_Dear Tifa,_

_I'm sorry I haven't written in a while, Teef. I've been busy trying to fix that mistake the military made about my death. I was injured, but I'm not dead. My friend was there to watch my back when it happened, he really helped me out that night._

_How have you been? Did you like my gift? I hope it fits. I really miss you and Ma, you have no idea. I was thinking of visiting sometime, it's been such a long time since I've seen you both. It'll take a while before I get enough money for the trip though._

_Do you have a cellphone yet? I was meaning to buy one. I'll give you my number when I finally scrape up enough gil to afford one. I hope to hear from you again soon._

_Take care,_

_Cloud_

_Tifa went to Ms. Strife's house, the woman equally chilled at the sight of a letter written in her son's handwriting addressed to her. Her hands shook and her eyes held hope and uncertainty. Cloud was alive? The military was quite sure he was dead. What was happening here?_

_So, Tifa went to visit Zangan. He lived on the edge of the village, guarding Nibelheim as well as tending to the small church and teaching a select few students his martial arts. Zangan was also one to weave stories about the undead, and that was what she suspected here. There had been plenty of time for the military to recant the story, they never would have sent his possessions back in the first place if he was alive._

_How hard would it be to confirm a soldier's death?_

_Tifa showed Zangan the letter and explained what had happened. He shook his head as he gave the letter back to his student. "Most likely a vampire, of all things. An extremely dangerous monster. Very few undead are this sapient."_

_She looked down at the letter again, brows coming together. "Cloud wouldn't hurt me, even if he was a vampire..."_

_"Cloud would not. A vampire would. Cloud is trapped in that dead body of his with a vile spirit that does nothing but evil for the sake of evil, Tifa." Zangan put one of his large, calloused hands on her shoulder. "I did not know Cloud very well, but if he died as they say he did, then I can say with confidence he had a selfless heart. It's a terrible shame that he's rewarded with this."_

_Tifa gasped, tears forming in her eyes. She damned herself for not begging Cloud to stay with her in Nibelheim, then none of this would have happened! Her friend, her dearest friend that she did everything with until he left for Midgar, was suffering a fate worse than death. To make matters worse, this vampire planned to visit her and Cloud's mother. "I have to do something..."_

_Zangan raised his brows. "You wish to free him some day?" He shook his head with a frown. "Tifa, this is an extremely dangerous road you wish to take. You could end up like just like your friend," he warned._

_She bit her lip, holding the letter tight in one hand and staring at the silver ring Cloud had given to her on the other hand, loose but always with her. What would Cloud do in her position? Tifa nodded, solemn. He would have done the same for her. "I...He's...very close to my heart, Master Zangan. I can't let him suffer."_

_Zangan nodded, then led Tifa into his home and towards a bookcase. He picked out a thick old tome. "When I'm done with you, you will know how to fight against the darkness."_

* * *

Tifa woke up in the pitch black room, the dream of old memories fresh in her mind. She reflected on the irony of her situation in the present, and how it led her to Cloud with results she had not expected. Blinking her eyes open she yawned, and then slowly became aware that her hands were holding onto Cloud's arm, her forehead on his bicep. She blushed and looked about blindly, but no one was there to see. Sitting up and fumbling with the lamp she finally turned it on, then looked down at her friend. He was under the covers, his head leaning to her side of the bed.

She ran her fingers through his spiky hair, appreciating how soft it still was. Tifa remembered ruffling his hair so many times, eventually using it as a way to flirt with him those months before he left for Midgar. She wondered if he would have went off to be a cadet if she had said something to him, anything to not go so far from her.

Tifa leaned towards his face, her lips close to his ear. "I don't regret finding you again, Cloud. But I do regret not saying something to you earlier..." she said softly before studying his face, how peaceful he looked. She kissed him on the cheek before leaving the bedroom, turning on the light switch so she could turn off the lamp.

When she finally reached the kitchen Aerith was there, making herself lunch as Rox ate some soup. Squeak was by her feet, jamming a piece of cheese into his mouth. Aerith had a knowing grin on her face as she swayed her hips playfully. "Afternoon, Tifa. Sleep well?"

Tifa closed her eyes as she exhaled, then opened them up again. "Yeah. Did you? Cloud said you went to bed early."

She nodded before going back to perfecting her sandwich. "I prefer my regular schedule. Do you work today? The furniture will be delivered soon, and um...Scratch is still by the door."

Tifa shook her head, then went to the fridge to pour herself some juice. She tossed some bread in the toaster and sat next to Rox, who looked up at her with a concerned frown. Tifa raised a brow. "How about you, Rox? Did you get to sleep okay?"

"Yeah. But when Aerith woke up you weren't there. So she checked _his_ room and found you sleepin' next to him." Rox didn't sound as if she approved of the situation very much.

Tifa shrugged. "I didn't want to disturb you two so I bunked with him." A blush was creeping on her face as she felt Aerith's eyes on the back of her head.

"It was really cute how you were holding onto his arm," Aerith beamed before sitting next to her embarrassed friend.

"Gross," Rox mumbled before she ate another spoonful of soup.

Tifa looked away, suddenly interested in the toaster. She glanced down at Squeak, who was staring at her with a crumb of cheese held in his paw. Her blush grew, and she mouthed 'don't you dare' at the rodent. His lips twitched upwards. "I was probably just cold." She left her seat to prepare her toast, her cheeks tingling; it was a stupid thing to say, vampires weren't warm. Did Aerith know how she felt about him? Aerith always intuitively knew people's feelings, or maybe, Tifa thought, she herself was an open book to everyone.

Everyone but Cloud. Or maybe he was just as shy as she was.

She returned to her seat and munched on her breakfast, silence filling the kitchen. Aerith took a sip of her water. "What kind of schedule do you keep at your work?"

Oh yeah. Work. "I...don't think I should go there anymore."

Rox raised a brow. "Why?"

Tifa explained what happened last night, and that they had to enter the house from the roof just to be sure no one found their home. "But you two should be alright. They've never seen either of you. Me, I'll probably just pal around with Cloud if I'm outside at night just to be safe."

"Oh. If vampires have all these powers you were just talking about, how come Cloud...just used his fists last night to fight Domino?" Aerith asked.

Tifa looked down at her empty plate. "Because sometimes he can be a bit of an idiot." Her idiot. She looked at the kitchen clock, it was almost two. "After the furniture is delivered I'm going to go to the store for a few things. Do you two wanna come?"

She received enthusiastic nods from both women. After Tifa had placed her plate in the sink a knock came to the door and a muffled greeting from the delivery service. Tifa gasped, then called out for Squeak before rushing into the living room. "Just a moment! Scratch, get in the basement..."

The gargoyle begrudgingly did as he was asked before Tifa nodded at Squeak, who opened the door after she had come to it. Aerith and Rox helped guide the delivery men to the proper rooms for their furniture, assisting with assembly of the frames. Eventually they left and the three women worked on making the beds with fresh linens and putting their clothing away in their new drawers.

Each of them now had their own bed, a nightstand, drawers and a small bookcase. Aerith was thinking up ways to personalize her room despite what could be a small stay, while Rox seemed happy to just have a private room to hide in when Cloud was stalking the house.

Afterwards they walked to the store, Tifa using the trip to familiarize her friends with Junon and what landmarks to look for when traveling through their neighborhood. It was a sunny, balmy day, a sea breeze sweeping by the three.

Rox felt like she was in a better mood than she had been since Tifa disappeared. It was daytime, there was a shining sun and absolutely no vampires out and about. Tifa and Aerith were safe and next to her. Maybe she was still fretting over the guild, and maybe she still wasn't thrilled about living with a vampire, but for now at least she could focus on herself a little.

Aerith wondered if Zack ever made it to her flower shop, then wondered if he would over water her precious plants. Knowing him, he was probably wondering how much water was enough, she mused in her head. It put a smile on her face, a vampire fretting over flowers. She would have to make something nice for him for all the effort.

They found themselves in the grocery store a little while later, Tifa looking at her list for food and other sundries needed. The other two looked through the hygeine section for shampoo and their favorite toothpastes, not wanting to use up Tifa's supplies.

As they waited to pay, Aerith looked at a little poster on the wall nearby. She tilted her head, humming. "There's a festival tonight for the beginning of Summer." Aerith looked at Tifa. "Maybe we could all go? You and Cloud would have a chance to let loose."

Tifa blushed and looked away. "I don't know. Maybe. It would be something to do."

"Well, I'll stay with Rox during the festival. That way you two have time to yourselves."

Rox pretended to gag. "Are you really doing this, Tifa?"

"Doing what?" Tifa asked in a clipped tone.

The teen sighed. "Falling for a dead guy."

Tifa looked away. "We're old friends, Rox. I'm just comfortable around him, okay?" Rox let out a disgusted snort, and Tifa gave her a dirty look.

Finally they left with a couple of bags of groceries each, making their way back home. Aerith hummed for a time before turning to Tifa, who looked back with a fine raised brow. "You said you've slept with Cloud before?" she asked in a playful, teasing voice.

Tifa turned red. "Not like that! I wanted to keep an eye on him after a fight." As if he needed it.

"Is that the only reason?" Aerith pressed, smile growing.

Tifa huffed and looked straight forward. "We're really good friends. Why wouldn't I look after him like that?" she asked quietly.

Rox frowned. "You aren't gonna go out with him, are you?"

"What's wrong with that?" Aerith asked.

The teen groaned and adjusted her grip on her bag. "Well, he's a freaking vampire, that's plenty wrong right there."

"That doesn't mean Tifa and Cloud aren't compatible. I'm still going out with Zack."

"It's just so...ugh. And just thinking about you two with _them_..." Her shoulders shuddered. Rox didn't have anything personal against Zack, but the both of them were still unholy abominations in her opinion. Zack was just a friendly unholy abomination.

Tifa sighed as they turned onto the alley that hid their home. "Can we change the subject, please?"

* * *

Cloud reminisced of that night, weeks ago as he lay in his bed. He had immediately left home, forgetting his skin illusion as he went off to finish what he started the night before. He recognized Aerith's voice as he passed the cemetery's gates, and he certainly recognized the name that came from her lips. She had been calling for Tifa. He had frozen in his journey to his tomb, where he had left the corpse of his mark from the night before last. It was a troublesome victim that barely gave him enough time to get home before the sun rose.

_'No. It couldn't be her,'_ he had thought. Cloud had continued on, but doubt and hope began nagging in his mind and heart. He had listened to her voice, and that slight accent from a faraway mountain village that he would know anywhere made him hide nearby and watch his childhood friend, the one he wanted to visit one last time to give a proper goodbye.

He had followed her down the road, fluttering overhead and trying to get her to walk down an alley so they would just coincidentally 'bump' into each other. But, Tifa had resisted. How could she resist so easily? It would make a discussion so much harder if she was frightened or apprehensive and he couldn't ease her mind.

Cloud had continued to follow her to her home. Her house felt strange to him, so he had watched from a ledge on the other side of the street as a bat. Something about her was a little unsettling, and he had squeaked a snort at the thought of a vampire thinking a living person was unsettling. He was the epitome of unsettling now.

Eventually she had left again and instead of just appearing behind her or from an intersection, he had bashfully watched her from above. His head had been swimming with possible questions she could ask of him. What have you been up to if you really weren't dead the whole time? Do you want to go out to lunch? How come it's taking you so long to visit Nibelheim? Why? Not the money. It was logistics.

What could he have asked her? How's Ma, she hasn't replied back in a year? What brought you to Midgar? Do you have a boyfriend yet? How come you never responded to my letters when I sent them again? Oh, he knew that one, though. Nibelheim was a little superstitious, not terribly so but just enough. Zangan had probably told her the truth, Cloud had deduced at the time.

She would be terrified of him, he had thought. Would it be hard to convince her that he wouldn't harm her? Vampires were supposed to be cunning, evil things, humans warped into blood thirsting monsters. He was cunning, he did thirst for blood, and he was a monster. But he wouldn't necessarily call himself evil. Maybe he was a reluctant villain, he felt that suited his situation much better. Still did, he thought.

He had offered his cell phone number to both Tifa and his mother, and received silence from the former and a gentle refusal from the latter. Ma's letters had a tension to them, as if she had feared something. The last letter she had sent Ma had asked if he had the funds to go to Nibelheim yet. He said yes, and that when he got back they could catch up on everything.

His trip had been delayed again, however. One of the mines on the journey there had collapsed, and he needed that mine to hide in during the day. Cloud never received any replies back after that letter, and sometimes, he wondered if it was his fault she died.

Cloud had landed in the shadows to watch from afar as she tossed a gil into the fountain in front of the cathedral. That building repulsed him physically, but he had always appreciated the architecture regardless. Tifa had walked in and he waited. It was a mass night, maybe she had become more religious back in Nibelheim, he had thought. He had tapped his foot in nervous anticipation, then decided the roof of the building he stood by would be a better vantage point when they let out.

Eventually they had, and he picked out Tifa as the crowd dispersed, walking off a different way than her house. He had a sick, uneasy sensation in the pit of his stomach. She had been nearing Favevo's home, an associate of his. Not one he socialized much with and wouldn't in the future now; he was a spiteful sort, arrogant and proud. Cloud had followed her from the rooftops to an alley where he found her hiding. Why was she hiding, he had wondered to himself. Favevo had dumped a corpse after a few minutes of watching and his ghouls began eating it.

Cloud had watched, stupefied, as his childhood friend fought the ghouls without much trouble after waiting for the other vampire to leave. Her hand came up, and there it was, a silvery weapon he had seen in the hands of at least one victim of his. Tifa had become a vampire hunter. He had wondered if he would have to help her at all, putting him at severe risk of becoming a turncoat in his guild. Maybe, he had thought, if he made it look like he was attacking her instead...

She was finished, and had taken something from the gritty pavement near a pile of ash. His eyes had followed Tifa as she quickly walked away from the scene of the fight. He then followed right behind her, thinking of what he could do, should do. She was a vampire hunter. She became what should be his worst enemy, his greatest foe. But...

This was Tifa. He promised to save her in a pinch, and even if he hadn't he still would have saved her.

All it took was a simple illusion and a sleep spell from his materia, and he quickly spirited her away to his home. Before Favevo came this way to investigate, before anyone could see. It had been such a strange, tense night to Cloud.

Now, he thought, it was as if their seven year hiatus never happened. They laughed and argued, they risked themselves for each other. They surprised each other with little gifts. It only kindled what love was already there for Tifa. Both of them would be hunted now, but she said she didn't regret what happened. She didn't regret being with him again.

_'She became a vampire hunter because of me. Because she wanted to free me. That's...love, isn't it?'_ Cloud opened his eyes, sat himself up in bed and rubbed his face; tonight was the night. He promised Zack he would, and he was damning himself for doing so. Cloud turned on his lamp before making his way to the bathroom, flicking on the light and starting the shower before fetching a towel and placing it on the large sink.

The heat of the water was nice. The lather of the soap and shampoo was nice. Everything was nice, except he was going to blurt out his feelings to his best friend sometime tonight. Anxiety flared as he rinsed the shampoo out of his hair, thinking about how and what he should say. Where to say it.

After leaving the shower he dried his body off before plugging in the hair dryer and attempting to tame his mess of soaked spikes. They slowly stood up on his scalp as the hot air dried them, his comb moving them this way and that. When he was finished he took a look at his body, towel wrapped around his hips.

He hadn't given himself a good, hard look in a very long time, and he felt rather self conscious despite Tifa having seen him like this already. Ashy skin, darkened lips. His eyes looked duller than they had in life, and he had to admit he looked like the animated corpse he was. _'Why do we have to look so creepy?'_ At least if he went about like this people in the city still paid no attention to him. He almost looked like a goth in his dark clothing.

The scars on his chest were whitish reminders of his death, and he touched the one along his belly that had come from the wraith that disemboweled him. That injury had hurt quite a bit, he remembered. He opened his mouth and examined his fangs as he prepared his toothbrush. They weren't long right now, but they were still plenty sharp. If he kissed her, would he hurt her? The first and last woman to kiss him, he had hurt her.

She had been a mark he had followed to a party in the evening, watching her slowly become more inebriated as the night wore on. He tugged her mentally to join him in the bathroom of the bar, the red headed woman enthusiastically joining him in the small space. He had wanted to make it quick and impersonal as always, equally disgusted with the act of feeding and craving for it like a drug addict. He was only eighteen and still angsty from his sudden life change not two years prior.

The mark giggled as she entered the room, misinterpreting his demeanor and the locked door. She was drunk, and he shouldn't have expected anything less. Before he could do anything more than bring his hands to her sides, she snaked her arms around his neck and pushed her lips onto his. Pushed against the wall in surprise, she forced her tongue into his mouth, causing him to shudder as she grazed his sensitive fangs. His mark tasted bitter from alcohol.

It wasn't her kiss to take.

He had gently pushed her away, studying the drunk woman. She was...waiting for him to do something. So, he did. He pressed her against the wall next to them and brought his face close to hers, arms wrapped around her torso. Then the illusion of life slid away from his body, and the mark stood there, more stupefied than anything at the sight of the living dead smirking evilly at her. Cloud lowered his head and kissed her neck, feeling her jerking reaction to the sensation of his icy lips on the thin skin protecting her veins from his needy mouth. She was tense, gasping and trying to push him away as he purposefully grazed her skin at the nape of her neck with a talon. Pleas to release her tumbled out of her mouth.

He squeezed her body tightly against him and bit hard, silky and sweet blood pouring into his mouth. She cried out, but the party beyond the bathroom they were locked in was much too loud for anyone to hear her. When he was finished with her he left her corpse on the toilet before disappearing into the crowd. Cloud mentally cringed at how dramatic he could be sometimes.

He brushed his teeth and wrapped himself in that illusion that made him look like he was alive, made him feel warm to the touch of others. It was such a contrast, the light almond tan, the freckles dotting his cheeks, the way his eyes shone. The scars on his chest were hidden, but his canines still looked different than they had been when he was alive. Not so different anyone would actually notice unless they were ready to plunge into someone's neck.

Cloud went into his bedroom and rummaged around his drawers for something a little more colorful than black or white. He wanted to look more alive, and black wasn't going to cut it. He looked around and found a pair of blue jeans, that was something he wore a lot of back home. Now he needed a shirt. Not his black zip up vest, not just a plain white shirt...His hand rested on a plaid button up, white and blue and black. _'When did I buy this?'_

He tilted his head as he stared at it, then took it and a white T-shirt. That should look normal. Cloud put on his outfit and took a look at himself in the bathroom mirror again. It looked like something a country boy would wear, he thought. Perfect.

As he went downstairs he bumped into Tifa, her hair still damp and the scent of her flowery shampoo flowing off of it and finding itself wafting into Cloud's nose. "Evening," he said with as little emotion as he could.

"E-evening..." Tifa looked him up and down, Cloud feeling a little self conscious as she studied him. Her eyes met his after a few moments. "We found out there's a festival tonight."

"Oh." He scratched the back of his head. "D'you wanna go?" It was risky traveling after last night, but he decided he would risk it for Tifa if she wanted to go. It wasn't like those hunters would attack in a place full of people.

She bit her lip. "If you think it would be alright..." Tifa's cheeks were tinged pink, her brow slightly creased.

Slowly, Cloud nodded. "Y-yeah, I can handle anything that happens anyway."

"Okay. Let me finish getting dressed, I'll meet you and the other two downstairs." Tifa gave a tentative smile, then walked passed him into her room. Cloud continued his way downstairs, Aerith and Rox standing near the door talking. They turned his way as he entered the living room, and he nodded in greeting.

Aerith waved. "Evening, Cloud. Did you enjoy sleeping next to Tifa?" she said with a mischievous smile. Rox rolled her eyes and groaned.

Cloud blushed and turned his head. "Rox was takin' up half of Tifa's bed, I didn't want her sleeping on the couch."

"Don't pin that on me!" Rox snapped. Cloud looked back and gave her a half smile before walking up to them both, Rox shrinking back a little as he advanced.

"Looking forward to gettin' out?" he asked.

Aerith nodded, Cloud glancing at her. "It's a good opportunity to enjoy Junon. I just wish Zack was here," she replied.

Cloud hummed back, then crossed his arms. "I wish he was here, too. I'll keep you three safe during the walk there and back. How far is it?"

"Oh, just three blocks away. You aren't worried about being attacked?" Aerith raised a brow, unsure.

He shook his head. "Attacking me in front of a crowd is just gonna get them in trouble with the law. They know what I am, but a cop is just gonna see a nutjob trying to stab a citizen." Cloud looked over at Squeak, but resisted asking what happened during the day. He said he wouldn't spy on them, but that glint in Squeak's eye said he heard something juicy. Cloud mouthed "No" before looking away, waiting for Tifa.

After a few minutes of waiting Tifa came down the stairs, her hair in a low ponytail and a red tank top covered most of her torso, Cloud's eyes lowering to her exposed belly. She wore jean shorts and a new pair of sandals that looked similar to the ones she had lost at the beach. He thought it was a cute outfit. "I'm ready!"

They were out the door, Rox holding onto both Aerith and Tifa while eyeing Cloud, the vampire trying to ignore the teen's stare. Finally he looked back at her before they reached the main street. "Everything okay, Rox?" She didn't reply, and he scoffed. "I'll be watching from the shadows, now. Just until we get to the festival."

"Watching from the shadows?" Aerith looked back at Cloud, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Tifa chuckled as they turned onto the street, the glow of the festival greeting them in the distance. "He did this every time I'd walk home from work. He's watching from somewhere we can't see, or maybe we can if we pay attention."

"Oh."

Rox looked about, shuddering. She pointed at something overhead. "He's above us."

Aerith looked up. "That's just a bat, Rox."

"Vampires can turn into bats n' other things." The teen replied, eyeing the bat.

"Really? That's kinda neat."

"Yeah, until they fall on top of you and-"

Tifa sighed harshly. "Rox."

They made it to the festival, Cloud mysteriously appearing behind them before they made it to the entrance. Aerith dragged Rox off, the teen giving a pleading stare to Tifa while Aerith gave a thumbs up. Cloud and Tifa blushed, feeling a little awkward. He looked down at her before offering his hand. "Let's go have fun."

She took his hand and nodded, her blush not letting up. They walked about the festival, looking over the various stalls. Tifa pointed at a dart game. "That looks fun."

The two stopped at the game, the man pointing at Cloud. "Step right up! Win a stuffed animal for your sweetheart!"

"Eh heh..." Tifa looked at Cloud with a sheepish grin.

Cloud's face was reddening as he fished some money out to play, and he was given five darts. A shoddy wooden wall covered in partially inflated balloons of various colors stood in front of him, and he tapped his fingers against the stall counter. He picked up a dart and paused, aiming for a promising balloon. He tossed it and the dart bounced off the rubbery surface.

Tifa was chewing her lip, attempting not to laugh. Cloud gave her a wayward glance before trying again. The balloon popped, and he let out a little grunt. "I got this."

"I bet you do," she teased.

Cloud finished the game three to five and was awarded a small stuffed bear that he stared at in disappointment. He was about to suggest a larger stuffed toy when Tifa took the little thing out of his hand. "It's cute, don't you think?" she asked.

"I guess so."

She handed it back to him. "If you work really hard tonight, maybe you can get a bunch to keep you warm in bed."

He chuckled and placed the stuffed animal in her hand, patting it before turning around. "I'd prefer you keep me warm..." he mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

The two traveled some more, competing in a few of the games there. Cloud had several small stuffed animals, and he stared at them like they were the most pathetic things he could ever give Tifa. He decided the next game he played he was going to get one of the really large stuffed animals, even if Tifa scolded him later.

As they walked about and into a less busy part of the festival Tifa heard Cloud snort, and she looked towards him. He was watching someone. "Who is it?"

"Domino." Cloud stared at Domino, the vampire hunter at a game stall ten feet away and glaring back. The vampire smirked as he looked down and next to Domino, a child of perhaps eleven looking up and talking to the vampire hunter with a smile. Cloud's eyes floated back to Domino's before looking away, his opponent thoroughly unnerved. He wouldn't ever go so far as to harm a child, but scaring Domino with the possibility was still on the menu.

"I hope you aren't planning on fighting him again," Tifa said in a wary yet withering voice.

Cloud looked at Tifa, a smirk still plastered to his face. "Not tonight."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, good. I was hoping I wouldn't have to drag you out of another skirmish."

He snorted. "I can take him one on one." Tifa couldn't help but smile at his casual bravado.

The two stopped at a funnel cake stall, ordering a cake then eating at a wooden picnic table. They shared the treat, pulling at a piece here and there as they looked about for the next place to visit. "I wonder if Aerith and Rox are having a good time."

Cloud pointed to another table, twenty feet away by a fried food stand. "You could always ask them." Tifa glanced over, and there was Aerith and Rox, watching them. Aerith was whispering something to Rox, who was cringing and limply holding her corn-dog.

"They seem...interested in us," Tifa replied.

"Yeah." Cloud felt uncomfortable having an audience watching them. He picked at the last piece of funnel cake on his side of the paper plate. "Wanna go someplace quiet?" He pointed at the ferris wheel. "Maybe...that?" He swallowed as he looked back at Tifa.

She took a look at it then him, a nervous nod of her head accepting his invitation. She stood up and tossed the paper plate in the trash and joined Cloud to walk up to the ride, large and rickety. There weren't too many people in line, most wanting something more exciting than a ferris wheel. They paid for their ride and sat down next to each other in their compartment, silence and tension filling the small space as they slowly went up before another person could board.

Tifa looked about and away from Cloud. "So..."

He looked back at her as he wrung his hands. "Hm?"

"You never told me what you wanted to say at the beach, you know." She looked back at him with a teasing smile.

Cloud looked down at his feet. "Oh. Right." He took a deep breath but held it in, trying to unscramble his brain. Their compartment raised up a little more.

Tifa's smile became a disappointed frown. "You...forgot?"

He looked back at her. "I'm trying to remember everything."

She nodded and licked her lips, nervous. "Oh. We've been friends so long, but here we are, too nervous to speak."

Cloud huffed a gentle laugh. "Yeah." His face became serious, his blue eyes studying her intently. "Tifa...I..." He swallowed hard. "When you told Aerith you'd follow me, is that what you really want to do?"

Tifa nodded, looking away again. "I know what that means, but I want to be there with you. Like always," she added suddenly.

"And I wanna be there for you, too." He inched closer to Tifa as the ferris wheel climbed up once again. Her body heat flared, just like her cheeks. He was pretty sure he was just as red at this point.

"Did you remember what you wanted to say?" Her voice was faint, but there was a little impatience held within.

" I...had a lot I wanted to say. But now...I can't get it out. Kinda makes you wanna laugh..." He flashed a nervous smile and forced a small chuckle. _'At this point I'm surprised she hasn't tried beating it out of me.'_

Tifa closed her eyes and sighed. Her fists squeezed the fabric of her shorts, but she knew she had to say it. The air was heavy and not just from the humidity of summer. "Cloud..." Tifa opened her eyes again, her ruby gaze boring into Cloud. "Words aren't the only way to tell someone how you feel."

He stared at her for an indeterminate amount of time, the ferris wheel again lurching up for another load, then another. _'This is it. For better or for worse.'_ Cloud looked down at Tifa's hands, the digits clenched around her shorts. His eyes flickered to hers again, and if his heart could still beat it would have skipped as those ruby circles slowly grew more forlorn.

Tifa pursed her lips and her eyes looked down and away. "It's alright, Cloud. I-I don't know what I was thinking, saying such a thing..." She was willing her heart to not rip in two, thinking she had misinterpreted his actions and words. Tifa let out a soft chuckle as she wrapped a thread of her hair around a finger, brushing off the subject.

_'Of course it wasn't that. Now he's going to be uncomfortable around me.'_ Again her eyes looked up at Cloud, and his gaze was more intense than the night he bit her. It wasn't an angry, irritated gaze, just pure intensity. She scooted away an inch. "Cloud?"

In one fluid motion he brought his hand up to her cheek before leaning in, closing his eyes, and kissing her quivering lips. They were warm and soft and he had wanted them for the past seven years to rub over his. He slowly moved his fingers into her hair, his thumb brushing her cheek gently. His other hand began to cradle her back, pulling her closer to him. Whether she accepted him or rejected him, he'd remember this moment until the day he was finally put down for good.

Tifa's eyes widened as she felt his lips on hers, taken aback by the suddenness of the action. She soon relaxed into it, tilting her head and parting her lips for him as her arms wrapped around Cloud's torso and shoulder. She let out a hum as he squeezed her gently, his tongue gliding beyond her lips and probing shyly.

After several minutes they parted, Tifa letting out a shaky breath and moving her hair out of her face. Cloud studied her for any signs of displeasure, but found none. "Are you sure this is what you want, Teef?"

She huffed at his question before scooting as close as she could to him and leaning her head on his shoulder. Cloud's arm cradled her. "For a very long time."

He let out a relieved chuckle as his other hand found hers and held it. "I guess I should have said something back in Nibelheim, then." If she accepted him like this, being an outsider in Nibelheim would have been nothing.

She squeezed his hand. "I should have, too. I didn't want you to leave. Then when you died, I blamed myself for not convincing you to stay."

"I had to go. I was a nobody in Nibelheim." He sighed and moved his now free hand towards her cheek, affectionately rubbing it. "I wanted to be worthy of you. Someone that you could see being with."

She glanced upward at his face, his eyes full of sadness. "Cloud, I always saw myself with you...No one else treated me like you did." Tifa snuggled into his plaid shirt, disappointed she couldn't hear a heartbeat. "If you were just a farmer or a jack of all trades, I would have been with you. Even if you spirited me away to Midgar to start a new life..."

Cloud snorted, then squeezed Tifa gently. "I can't give you everything I wanted to give..."

Tifa let out a weak laugh and she looked towards one of the small windows of the compartment. The ride was slowly circling now, and they were climbing to the top. "Just give everything you can, and I'll do the same. We'll take everything one day...night, at a time."

He kissed her cheek, his lips lingering on her skin. All Cloud wanted to do was stay in that ferris wheel and hold Tifa to him. She was warm and her skin was soft, and her hair smelled faintly of her shampoo. His eyes wandered down to the necklace she wore, and his hand plucked the silver ring up and off her chest. "Do you think this is a nice ring?"

Tifa looked back at him and then the ring, a wry smile on her face. "I'm wearing it, aren't I?" she said without missing a beat.

Cloud chuckled. "But it's not where it should be."

She looked at the ring he was still holding, then put her hands on the back of her neck to undo the knot holding the necklace in place. The leather drooped and she pulled, letting it slip away from the ring.

He took her right hand and gently pushed the wolf ring onto her ring finger. "I was worried it didn't fit," he mumbled.

"It didn't. But it does now." She fidgeted in her seat a little, looking at the ring and then him again. "I wore it on a necklace because it...reminded me of you. The responsibility I had."

He raised a brow. "I thought it was because you didn't want it to break when you fight?"

She shrugged. "That was secondary." She let out a little snort. "You didn't think I'd open up to a strange vampire in a dark basement, did you?"

Cloud smiled and hugged her close again. "Silly me."

They sat in silence as the ferris wheel continued on, and then when it was time to leave Cloud glanced at Tifa. "D'you want another round? It might be our last chance at some real privacy until those two settle down." He motioned towards Aerith and Rox, spying on them from nearby.

Tifa giggled. "I would like some more alone time."


	15. Contemplation

As Cloud left the ride again with Tifa in tow, he couldn't wipe his goofy grin from his face. He was holding her hand and her shoulder brushed his arm, and there was a glow on his cheeks he couldn't chalk up to little magic tricks. Being in love felt good, he thought. Really good.

He looked down at Tifa, and she had a glint to her eyes and a giddy smile on her lips. His grin grew. "What?"

"Nothing..." She twirled a bit of her hair around a finger.

"You two look like you're up to something," chimed Aerith's voice as they nearly passed the table she and Rox sat at. She had a sly look on her face as her chin rested on her hand.

The two stopped in their tracks, red faced and unable to wipe the smiles from their faces. "We're up to nothing at all," Tifa said.

Rox groaned while Aerith beamed. "You two make a cute couple."

"Thanks," Cloud stuttered out. "Uh, you two enjoying the fair?"

"I am, but I think Rox needs to learn how to relax." Aerith pat Rox on the back as the teen looked up into Tifa's eyes with a pout on her lips.

"Whatever."

Cloud couldn't help but snort at Rox's reaction, but he understood she would be a little upset. He looked around the fair, trying to see what they should visit next. His eye twitched as his gaze came across a familiar face, looking about the crowd.

"Cloud, what's wrong?" Tifa asked. His grip had strengthed on her hand.

He looked back at her. "I think we should go. It looks like Domino called in the calvary."

Rox rolled her eyes. "Oh, now we have to run away from vampire hunters before they get any ideas." She was terrified of vampires, but after what had happened to Aerith and she, Rox had a brand new wariness towards her old guild. She wondered to herself if they would try to kill them just for being close to a vampire.

"Didn't you say they wouldn't attack us here?" Aerith asked as she furrowed her brow.

Cloud nodded. "They're still going to try and track us to a more deserted area."

Tifa looked at Aerith and Rox. "They didn't see them with us...We should go seperately."

"We might get lost in the darkness," Aerith pointed out. "We barely know the streets in the daylight."

"Cloud, can you take them home? I'll wait at the entrance for you." Tifa motioned her free hand towards them.

He bit his lip and looked between them and her. "I don't wanna leave you alone with them prowling around."

"If they don't know we're together, Rox and me should be fine until you get back," Aerith pointed out.

Cloud nodded and looked back at Tifa. "Head towards the entrance, and I'll watch your back. Okay?"

"Alright. I'll be waiting for you, Cloud."

"Well, it was nice meeting you two!" Aerith grabbed Rox's arm as they got up from their seats and walked off towards another stand. Rox looked back, her brows together as she looked at Tifa.

"Tifa, I'll watch from the sky for a bit, alright? Just until you reach the shadows."

She nodded. "I'll take my time, I don't want them to think anything of us meeting Aerith and Rox."

"Good idea..." He gave her a kiss on the lips and squeezed one of her hands before walking in the opposite direction, probably off to some lonesome corner where he could turn into a bat.

Tifa sighed and walked off again, strolling towards the entrance. There was no point in hurrying, and she took her time. Tifa looked at this stall or that as she fiddled with one of the stuffed animals Cloud had won for her. It was such a tiny little thing he worked for; she would put them in her room on her nightstand, she decided.

She gave it a soft squeeze as she left the entrance. Her finger traced the fur of the little brown bear that smiled up at her, and she smiled back at it. Maybe she would put one of them in Cloud's hands as he slept so he had something to wake up to, she thought playfully.

Tifa wondered if Cloud was watching her yet, but there was no sign of him up above and no suggestions popping into her head. Maybe Aerith and Rox stopped him, or maybe he was caught up by a stranger asking him something he probably couldn't help them with, like directions to a payphone or a specific street.

She looked up from the bear after another long moment of walking and scanned the area behind her. Her gaze moved to study the entrance to the fair that was now in the distance, looking for any hostile faces she would recognize that could be following her.

Again she walked deeper into the night, and almost jumped when she heard soft footsteps behind her. Tifa narrowed her eyes and tightened her jaw as she turned around; her stalker was a familiar face she hadn't had a desire to see tonight.

Domino.

Tifa pocketed the stuffed animal before walking towards him with her fists squeezed at her sides. "Spying on me again?" she asked with more than a hint of irritation in her voice.

He looked a little flustered as he stopped sneaking, as if he wasn't quite sure what to say. He put himself into a defensive position as she continued to walk towards him. She rolled her eyes at his indecision to say anything after she approached him. "Are you here to kill me or kidnap me, or what?"

"What? No!" Domino looked offended at the thought as he took a step back.

"What else would you do to someone you thought was a vampire's servant?" She raised a brow at him.

He seemed taken aback by what she said. "Free them," he said simply.

"I'm not his servant, so there's no need for you to be stalking me." Where was Cloud? He shouldn't be taking this long...

Domino gave her an incredulous look. "C'mon, that's a pretty bold lie...even for a servant, Alyssra."

Tifa huffed. "Not that you'll believe me, but I'm with him willingly." She looked behind him for any familiar hunter faces, but found none; she assumed they were still searching for Cloud within the fairgrounds. "I told you before, he was an old friend of mine."

He crossed his arms. "I doubt that."

"I don't care if you believe it or not, that's the truth." He was giving her a disbelieving stare, and she put her hands on her hips. "What was the point of you calling your friends up, anyway? You couldn't attack us there. Were you waiting to attack me if I hadn't heard you sneaking up on me?"

"Alyssra—"

"And you wanna pretend you're a good guy!" she interrupted, exasperated with the tanned skin man.

"Is everything alright?" They both turned; it was Cloud, his arms crossed as he stood behind Domino. The vampire hunter jumped and took several steps back, his dagger now in his hand. Cloud looked at Tifa and tilted his head. "I was looking for you."

She gave him an unconvincing withering look. "You're late. Did something happen?"

"Mm." He looked at Domino, a smile creeping on his face as he stared into his eyes. "I found a lost kid, actually," he said innocently. "So I took him someplace...safe, before I came here—"

"Liar," Domino whispered firmly as he carefully, deliberately moved his feet.

"Hm, do you know him? He said his name was Glenn, and he was hiding in one of the closed tents." Cloud's smile was a full on evil grin as he took in how much paler Domino's face had become. He glanced at Tifa and noted the worried look on her face. _Go along with it, I'm teasing._

Domino took a step towards him, his hands clentched into fists. One was raised a little, holding his dagger. "If you did anything to him—"

Cloud's eyes went back to Domino. "You'll do what, exactly? Slay me? You were already planning to do that." Without lifting his gaze from the vampire hunter he walked by him to get to Tifa's side.

Domino shook his head and pointed a finger at the vampire. "No...he was wearing an amulet!"

Cloud shrugged. "It was pretty easy to convince him it looked stupid, too." He wanted to chuckle at the vampire hunter's pale face, but he understood very well what loss felt like. He wasn't one to inflict it maliciously. "I'm in a really good mood tonight, Domino. So, I told Glenn to stay right where I left him, at the cotton candy stand...Kids are really _easy_ to manipulate, y'know."

Tifa looked between the two. "You better go get him, Domino."

Cloud nodded. "I could just change my mind and keep him. Glenn is a pretty likeable kid, despite being your brother."

Domino bit his lip, then charged back to the fair in a panic. Cloud looked around for any others that could have been watching, then looked at Tifa. "Let's go before any more show up."

She nodded and they hurried towards home, watching their backs as they briskly walked through the darkness. "What did you do to his brother?"

A dorky smile crossed his lips as mist shrouded them both. "The worst thing I could possibly do to Domino this late at night."

"Which is?"

"Buying his brother sugary treats."

Tifa stifled a giggle. "You have to be the worst 'bad guy' ever, Cloud."

Cloud's smile grew as he put an arm around her shoulders. "I'll take that as a compliment."

* * *

Domino rushed towards the area that the vampire said he had left his brother. That demon must have been watching as he took Glenn someplace safe before they searched for the monster with hopes of catching it off guard as it left the fair.

That had been a very bad gamble.

Now he had to hope that vampire actually hadn't done something to his little brother. The way he had gazed at Glenn earlier in the evening had the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, and was one of the reasons he had called Kedime in the first place. Why did Kedime demand he help, with his brother here? Of course Glenn would have taken off that talisman he gave him. The boy was always so skeptical of talk about vampires.

Domino looked about and spotted the cotton candy stall. Leaning on it was Glenn; he had a large stick of yellow cotton candy in his hand that he was casually munching on. Domino jogged up to him and grabbed his shoulders, jolting his brother. "Glenn!"

"Hey, Dommy!" He ate another wisp of cotton candy.

Domino frowned. "Where did you get that?"

His little brother pointed towards the exit. "This guy named Cloud bought me some. He said kids should have fun at fairs and shouldn't be hiding in abandoned tents."

"Did he do anything to you? Why did you let a vampire convince you to take off your talisman..."

Glenn frowned up at his panicked brother. "Vampires don't exist."

"That guy was the vampire we were looking for! He could've kidnapped you!" he quietly admonished. He took out a small vial of holy water he kept with him. "Drink this."

Glenn rolled his eyes and did as Domino asked, if just to placate him. He looked up to his brother, but his belief in vampires was silly to him. "Well, if he's a vampire, they seem pretty nice."

Domino groaned as he rubbed his face with both hands. He was more relieved than anything that the vampire hadn't done anything to Glenn, he had had ample chance to. Maybe vampires did have the occasional merciful thought, he supposed. "Vampires aren't nice."

Glenn shrugged. "He bought me this before he said he had to go find his girlfriend. I thought it was a good idea to just stay here in case you or Kedime walked by."

"Girlfriend?"

"Yeah."

That vampire called Alyssra his friend the other day. Was she telling the truth? She never fought him or Kedime and Nahki. Maybe she was a necromancer or something, he thought. Someone that took the dead a little too seriously...Now she was his girlfriend?

She didn't seem the type, but "Cloud" didn't seem to be a vampire until that night he made it look like there were maggots in his food. Even then he had wondered if it was Alyssra who had done it until the night of the fight on the beach. This was a secret world, filled with people that held dark secrets about them.

"Domino!" He turned around to see Kedime walking towards him at a brisk pace. Her face was a stern mask as she went from Glenn and his cotton candy to Domino's face, silently demanding an explanation.

He sucked in a breath as he rose and turned to face her. "I told you it wasn't safe! The vampire found him. He...told me where Glenn was after his maybe servant confronted me."

Glenn rolled his eyes as he finished his treat. "It was just some guy."

Kedime ignored him. "He told you?"

Domino explained what had happened, and she nodded. "Gorky should have been watching the street that Alyssra woman always walks. So, it's not like we don't have a chance."

"Unless he floats off."

"Vampires can float? That's so cool!" Glenn said.

Domino gave his brother an exasperated look. "Vampires aren't cool."

"And it looks like Gorky might have gotten a little closer to their hideout, but he lost them again. I suppose that's progress." Kedime was typing on her phone. "The neighborhood is made of several streets."

"So we look for the boarded up house, easy."

Kedime tsked. "Maybe. There could be a dozen abandoned houses to inspect." She looked up at the crowd as a couple of people headed to the entrance. She didn't notice the bat that flew over their heads.

* * *

Tifa sat on the couch next to Cloud. They had been a couple for only a few hours now, and she wasn't sure what to do besides snuggle into his shoulder. How far was too far? He glanced at her and his eyes held need, a need she had inside her as well. A warm smile crossed her lips, and she reached up to kiss him as he came down to meet her. It felt like electricity humming through her lips.

After a few minutes they parted, and Tifa looked up at him while she took a deep breath. "Do you think we should lie low for a day or two?" she asked.

He shrugged his free shoulder. "Maybe. We're both homebodies as it is, aren't we?"

Tifa let out a short chuckle. "A little. But that's what we get for being nice to vampire hunters, isn't it?"

"I suppose so." Cloud stared at the cold fireplace. Being with Tifa again had slowly softened him, he mused. Months ago he wouldn't have given a second thought to killing Domino just for being a vampire hunter. Nothing personal on an emotional level, just a bid to have one less problem creeping up on him. Now, he was doing the one thing he shouldn't be doing: humanizing his enemy.

He pushed the thought away, not wanting to dwell on Domino, especially after being the victor in what was an unspoken love triangle. Cloud's eyes looked over Tifa. "Did you wanna bunk with me again?" he asked hopefully.

She smirked back. "You move quick."

Cloud snorted and squeezed her tightly. "You always jump at the chance," he teased.

They both stood up from the couch and walked upstairs. Aerith was already in bed, and Rox had gone to her room with one of the treats Cloud had bought the other night to read, or more likely to sulk while pretending to read.

Tifa looked towards her room. "Let me get cleaned up first," she said.

He rubbed her cheek. "I'll be waiting."

She entered her room and dressed in her night clothing, then freshened up in the bathroom. Before she went up to his room she fetched a book on an obscure martial arts form from Mideel that rested on her bookshelf.

When she entered Cloud's room he was watching her with a book in his hand as he leaned into his pillow and bed frame. He smiled at her and playfully patted his hand on the bed. She scooted up close to him and leaned on his arm, causing him to hum.

Cloud glanced at her book. "What book is that?"

She looked at the cover, then him. "It's a martial arts book. I wanted to see if there was anything I could incorporate into my style." Tifa looked down at his book; it was a thin, bluish grey hardcover with no title. "And what have you been reading?"

His eyes fell on the book, and he blushed. "Grimoire," he said.

Tifa cocked her head. She had seen them before, and they were disposed of after a vampire had been slayed. "Where did you get it?"

"Zack. I'm not sure where he got it from, but he said older vampires collect them. He's only got three, because it's not a big interest of his." Cloud looked at the book cover and rubbed it with his thumb. "I'm not sure if I'll collect more or not, especially if I don't know where to get them. They're kind of like instruction manuals for vampires."

He opened it to a page discussing mist manipulation, and Tifa glanced at it. "So, living humans can't use any of this, huh?"

His hum was uncertain as he looked at the illustration on the page. "I don't think so. Maybe there's a book on that somewhere, but I don't have it."

"Oh." Her eyes looked upwards in a playful fashion before looking at Cloud again. "If there was anything on it, I suppose I would have seen a servant using it, anyway."

"It would come in handy." He shrugged and looked back at Tifa with a smirk. "Why, are you interested in becoming my servant now?"

She looked away with a blush. "I didn't say I was!"

He chuckled at her reaction. "But Teef, it has perks, y'know."

Tifa tsked as she unconvincingly glared back. "I'm well aware!"

"That would be a pretty big fall for a vampire hunter, especially if you did it willingly." There was a naughty appeal to it to him that he chalked up to his disdain of hunters in general. But there was more to it; he would be that much closer to Tifa, and she would be that much closer to him.

Tifa looked back at him with a pout on her lips. "And you said my vampire hunting days were over."

He put his book on the nightstand and grabbed her up; he was holding her over his lap with his hand around her waist. "I did say that. Hm. Your father was right, I am a bad influence," he teased.

She snuggled up to him. "I don't think I'm that much better," she muttered before sliding a hand onto his scalp and kissing him. She wondered about the always available option of becoming his servant, but decided that if it ever came down to it, it probably wouldn't be so bad. Especially since this vampire was just as much hers as she was his.

* * *

"You're rather perky this afternoon, Tifa."

"Oh?"

Aerith chuckled. "You've been humming since you waltzed into the kitchen."

Tifa poured her cooked oatmeal into her bowl, then carefully picked it up and carried it to the table. Rox was slouching in her seat, staring at the last half of her sandwich. Aerith was nibbling on the rest of hers and handing an olive to Squeak.

She took a spoonful of her oatmeal and blew on it before eating it, then glanced at Rox as she huffed harshly. "Rox, are you alright?" she asked after swallowing her food.

"M'fine," the teen mumbled.

"She's been pouty all morning, Aerith pointed out. "I think it's because she's the only one in the house without a boyfriend..."

Rox glowered at her. "Yeah, sorry if I'm a bit more choosy about who I go out with!"

"Let me guess, at least you'd choose someone with a pulse. Right?" Tifa held her nose in her hand as her elbow rested on the table, her other hand softly tapping her spoon against the bowl in irritation. "It's none of your business who we go out with, anyway."

The teen looked her way, but didn't soften her gaze. "I think it is, especially when he's the same guy that almost killed me in an abandoned alley!" She noticed Tifa flinch.

"...He did?" Aerith's brows were raised.

Rox looked at Aerith. "Yeah, her little boy-toy went after me in the dark!"

Tifa sighed. "And he didn't kill you. If anything helped prove he was still the person I knew, it was that he didn't do that."

The teen narrowed her eyes at Tifa. "You told me not to trust vampires, that they were evil incarnate. Well you know what? That sentiment hasn't changed too much deep down."

"Oh." Aerith cocked her head. "Even if Zack saved us from that building?"

Rox sighed harshly. "I can make a small exception for him, I guess. I mean I guess evil incarnate can be nice sometimes."

Tifa narrowed her eyes after lifting her head from her hand. "Rox, I understand why you feel the way you do, but neither of them are 'evil incarnate'. Cloud is my oldest, dearest friend, and he's only like this because he tried to save people from mindless monsters." She stopped tapping the spoon. "I became a hunter only to save him, and to find him like this, alone..."

"Alone, stalking people at night and killing them."

"I think you're being a little melodramatic, Rox." Aerith pat Squeak on the head as he let out a little peep. It wasn't like the subject was easy for her to swallow, but it was was two dimensional dramatics to her.

"I am not!" She held the last half of her sandwich so tightly the cheese was pushing out of it. "I am not..."

Tifa let out a sigh through her nose, then began to eat her oatmeal again. The kitchen was silent but for the sound of quiet eating. She cared about Rox, but now she was going to have to deal with a tempermental teenager that she felt was getting out of line. Tifa knew it would take time before the teen accepted this as the new normal, but it wasn't going to be a walk in the park at all.

After she was finished with her breakfast, Tifa went about cleaning the dishes before taking out Scratch's meal to sit and warm up on the counter. Not wanting to stay still, she went into the living room to clean it up a bit. She opened the curtains and the windows to let in a breeze before taking out the vacuum.

She thought about everything. Certainly she knew what she was getting into, or at least she was pretty sure she did. She didn't know all that well when she became a part of the vampire hunter's guild, but she thought she had. All she was there for was one vampire, and she found him. Or, he found her.

She made her choice, and she would live with it.

They wouldn't have kids, and they wouldn't grow old together. No, she would be the only one growing old. She wondered if he would move on when she became too stiff and wrinkly, off to a fresher face. But, that was decades from now, she thought, and they had just begun their relationship last night.

Still, she couldn't help but think that far ahead. Did Cloud? He probably did. Neither of them knew what the future would hold for them, she realized that, and that like she said in the ferris wheel they would have to take it one night at a time. He wouldn't abandon her, and she wouldn't abandon him, regardless of relationship status. That was established, she thought.

When she finished cleaning she went upstairs to talk with Aerith. Tifa knocked on her door, and she entered as Aerith's voice called out a greeting. Aerith was sitting on her bed with a book on places to see in Junon. Tifa sat next to her as the flower girl scooted over and further onto the bed, sitting cross-legged on the blankets. "Everything alright?"

Tifa shrugged and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Hm."

"Oh, Rox." Aerith put her book down after saving the page she was on. "She knew this was gonna happen, she just didn't say much because she felt helpless."

After a humorless chuckle Tifa replied, "were we that obvious?"

Aerith nodded with a wry smile. "Very."

Tifa blew out a sigh. "I really don't know how to comfort her. She's right, I told her those things. I told her what I had been told, and she wouldn't question it at all. Why would she, after everything that happened to her?

"A vampire killed her family, slowly, and some of the townsfolk too. Using her mother." She shook her head and ran a hand through her bangs. "Then Cloud did what he did..."

Aerith cocked her head to the side. "It just doesn't seem like something he would do..."

"I was horrified when he came home with her weapon, you know. I thought he had killed my friend."

"Hm."

Tifa looked at her feet. "But, all he did was take her blade and let her go. Now, he's watching over her. It's a very surreal turn of events when you think about it."

Aerith nodded. Now she understood why Rox was so terrified of quiet, blushing Cloud. She saw what he was capable of. "Do you think you softened him?"

The brunette chuckled. "Probably." She looked up at Aerith again. "Hey, do you wanna join me? I was gonna do my katas."

"I'm afraid I don't know martial arts."

Tifa stood up. "I can teach you the basics. You never know when you might need it!"

Aerith agreed to it, and they went downstairs. They moved the table and the sofa, giving them enough space to practice. Tifa showed her friend a few basic moves she could practice on her own. Eventually Aerith just watched as Tifa did more advanced katas, then practiced with her again.

After Tifa finished her practice, she took a shower and dressed herself with a pair of jeans and a deep blue tank top. She wasn't planning on going out, not with the possible danger of one of the hunters recognizing her in her neighborhood, but she thought it looked nice.

As Rox and Aerith took a small evening walk, Tifa decided to take a nap on the third floor. She opened up the door to Cloud's room and turned on the light. He was laying on his side, just like she left him. Tifa shuffled into his bed, switched off the lamp, and put her back to his chest and the crown of her head to his chin. He was cool against her skin, which was welcome considering the time of year.

She eventually fell asleep again, and woke up with a light chuckle as she felt his arm squeeze on her midsection gently. "Morning, Cloud."

"Mornin'." Tifa could hear the smile in his voice.

* * *

Cloud rubbed at the back of his neck as he looked at the door to Rox's room. It wasn't like the teenager was intimidating at all, but talking to her on the subject of him dating Tifa was going to test his patience. Why did Aerith put him up to this? She mentioned it right after he had said Zack wanted him to tell her hello when he had gotten downstairs.

Zack had messaged him almost immediately upon the sun's setting asking if he finally told Tifa, and Cloud swore he could hear his whoop from Junon. But other than that, there had not been much to speak of in regards to the investigation, which they had kept low key on their texts. Cloud was expecting a letter with an update soon.

After a few seconds of clearing his mind he knocked lightly on the door and heard a muffled voice telling him to come in. After a moment of hesitation, he turned the knob and slowly opened the door.

He peeked in, and was greeted with a fearful scowl from the bed. Cloud shook his head in disapproval at the girl as he came in and closed the door. "You should of asked who it was first," he chastised as he played with the hem of his white shirt.

Her eyes narrowed and she scooted to the far side of her bed. "What do you want?"

Cloud suddenly felt sheepish, but ended up walking to the edge of her bed and sitting on it, his back facing her. "I...guess I wanted to talk to you a little."

He felt her dark eyes burning holes into the back of his head, and he peeked from behind his shoulder. He could see under her defiant facade, the fear swimming in her eyes and in the way her arms shook ever so slightly. She was breathing through her nose in a fashion reminiscent of some of his prey when they found out what he was and what he was after. "I'm not gonna do anything to you, Rox."

She let out a shaky and uncertain breath. "What did you wanna talk about?"

Cloud looked away again, and began fiddling with his thumbs. "I, uh...I know you're upset that Tifa and I are dating now..."

He heard a humorless and short cackle behind him. "Yeah, I am. You're never satisfied, are you?"

He looked back at her with his brows crunched together. "Huh?"

Rox pointed at him with an accusatory glare. "Vampires take away everything."

"No we don't."

"Yes, you do. You're never satisfied to take one loved one, you have to take one, then another and another!" Her hand slowly scrunched up into a fist, and she situated it on the covers of her bed. "I keep losing people to you things. It's like...It's like you spared me just so I could see Tifa do this..."

He thought his patience was at risk, but it seemed to him now it was something else. "I already told you—" Cloud bit his lip as he studied the distraught teen. Tifa had said she lost her family. "Look, I just wanna...I want to start over with you—"

"You can't erase the past!" she hissed.

"I know that! I know I can't erase what I did to you, or what that vampire did to your family." She seemed somewhat taken aback, then agitated when she realized Tifa had told him what had happened to her. He decided to go on before she had a chance to verbally retaliate. "I can't erase the pain I dealt to Tifa or my mother. I can't."

Rox narrowed her eyes. "D'you wanna try to worm your way in like that, huh?"

"No. I just...We aren't that different."

"Um, I'm a lot different from a blood drinking corpse," she said matter-of-factly.

He turned away and shook his head. "We were both thrust into a nightmare world as teenagers, and no family to boot. And Tifa has to deal with us," he added with a wry tone to his voice. "We both would have been happier knowing this didn't exist at all."

"You still kept on existing," she tested. "If you hate it as much as I do, why keep going?"

Cloud's shoulders responded with a weak shrug, then he decided to divulge raw memories. "The first couple of weeks I kept to my coffin, hoping the Planet would take me. I would have let the sun finish me, but if I left there was a chance I might have killed anyone that came too near." He sucked in a breath. "I was trying to not do that.

"Every night was pure torment. I could hear a heartbeat from the faraway sidewalk hidden by a stone wall. I wanted to die. But after a while the need for blood made me go insane," he explained morosely. "I almost killed a woman tending to a grave, but Zack stopped me. And after I fed for the first time, I...didn't wanna die anymore. Once was enough. I still hate it, but I can't help but want to exist." He looked back at her with a contemplative look. "You want to continue living, even after everything you saw, right?"

"I do, but that's different! I want you things to die so no one ever has to go through what I went through again..."

Her eyes were forming tears. "How many mothers have you killed for your fix?" she whispered. "How many brothers and sisters? I don't care if they were gonna die anyway, they're still people you killed! And Tifa...Tifa chose you. You." Rox sniffled. "What does it say about you that you'd murder to live?"

"Try living as a vampire before you ask that again," he warned. Cloud frowned at her, but soon his eyes softened. "I know I'm just gonna be a monster to you. I feel the same way about myself. But..." His eyes traveled downward, towards a patch of dampened blanket under the teen's head.

"But what?"

His blue eyes traveled to her again. "But, I still...I'm still human. I think." Cloud sighed at her incredulous look. "I know you hate me. But can you trust me enough to keep a promise?"

She tightened her jaw as she thought over his words. "The last one you didn't keep," she pointed out. "Not that I'm complainin' or anything."

A dry chuckle passed his lips. "Granted, I didn't think I'd see you again. It wasn't a real promise. But you're living in the same house as me, now." He let in a long breath he didn't need through his nose as he shifted his body to face her better. "I promise I'll keep Tifa safe, even if we just go back to being just friends. And I promise I'll be there to keep you safe, too."

"You can't be there for us during the day," she countered.

He nodded. "That's unfortunately true. But I figure the night is more dangerous, anyway, isn't it?" Cloud took something out of his back pocket. "Can I trust you, Rox?"

She gave him a quizzical look. He placed an object, wrapped in fabric, on the bed near her. "Trust me with what?"

"Can I trust you to help keep Tifa safe, when I can't?"

"I'm not that great at fighting, if you hadn't noticed."

Cloud gave her a weak smile. "Yeah, but you're spunky." He gave the object a pat, then his arm retreated before he stood from her bed. "I know you'll never want to be friends with me. I understand that. But at least let me try."

He turned around and left her bedroom, closing the door softly behind him. Rox glanced at the fabric lump on her bed, and in a very cautious manner unwrapped it. She couldn't believe he would let her have this after she told him of her hatred towards him, but she wasn't going to complain. She felt safer already.

In her hands laid her silvery shank, polished and with its red ribbon still intact.


End file.
